Athletics World Championships in Doha

A ‘WORLD’ title in Track & Field actually means what it says. Compared to any other sport athletics is a truly global, competitors from over 250 countries are competing. For example, compare that to a soccer world cup with 32 teams,20 teams in cricket and rugby, and baseball has a ‘world’ series which is only one country! Any world champs should be a window into the sport in question and aim to sell it from grass root interest to bring new blood and the next generation through.

So here we have the very best of the best who have trained for years to peak at this precise week to show their talent on a global stage around the world. We have hi-def quality coverage, super slow-mo analysis for the best coaches and ex-athletes bringing their insight and expertise to add further interest and explain the technicalities of every event to the viewers. Quite simply the BBC coverage is superb. The stadium’s light shows look visually innovative and spectacular….and yet Qatar seems to once again produce events that no one attends. The IAAF probably received good money from Qatar but the world’s greatest athletes are racing, jumping, throwing to hardly anyone. All their hard word deserves a celebratory lap of honour in front of an applauding crowd showing their appreciation. Qatar seems good at putting on events but appears very poor, or else not interested in selling spectator tickets, it is clear the country has the money to win bids and host these events but seemingly without understanding the sports need spectators to bring the atmosphere. Each year Qatar hosts the opening round of the Motogp race. The premier class pinnacle motorcycles racing at over 200mph under the night time desert floodlights…..every year this exciting spectacle takes place to empty grandstands. 2022 FIFA have decided to grant them the soccer world cup tournament and after the athletics show I fear it will be yet another disaster. Football fans in an alcohol ‘dry’ country?!

On another level, is the country really suitable to host these major sporting events? The heat and humidity played a huge part in the marathon races this week with around 30% of competitors having to drop out, even when it was run at midnight the time was around 15 minutes slower than normal.. The football players are going to suffer, the matches will be played at a slow pace and the sport will look less than spectacular in those conditions. The FIFA decision has been thrown into question many times with all kinds of accusations about corruption in the decision.

Sport should first and foremost be about the competition. When the commercial and business side becomes more important it shows and damages the sport it is hosting. At this time athletics needed a wonderful showcase for the joy of track & field but I feel the IAAF and Qatar have missed a great opportunity and failed the stars by having an empty stadium