AZF – a driving force for Qatar’s sporting development
To mark the occasion of its tenth anniversary, AZF’s CEO Mohamed Khalifa al-Suwaidi said: “This month we mark ten years of the decision by our country’s visionary leadership to establish AZF and direct investment and resources towards sporting development and focus on the steady expansion of sports-related industries in Qatar.”
“In the past few years, the sports scene in Qatar has developed steadily with Aspire Zone Foundation sitting at the heart of this remarkable progress. Now, AZF represents one of the world’s leading destinations and is an enormous source of national pride for the country’s citizens and residents.”
“If you draw a simple comparison between Qatar and the region before and after the establishment of AZF as a fully-integrated sports city, you can clearly identify the impact that the organisation has had, including delivering high-profile international sporting events. We have made enormous progress in developing the country’s sports infrastructure and facilities and cultivating our talented sports men and women including star athletes and Olympic champions,” Al-Suwaidi said.
The country’s emergence as a destination of choice for international sporting events began in earnest in 2006 when Qatar hosted the Asian Games, the second-largest multi-sport event in the world. Since then, the country has hosted large numbers of major international events averaging nearly 80 events per year.
In January 2008, Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) was established by Emiri decree in order to develop a world-class sporting environment, enhance sports performance and contribute to producing elite local athletes. By providing a comprehensive academic, athletic and mental education AZF equips such athletes to compete in various local and global competitions. In addition, AZF’s goals include the promotion of active and healthy lifestyles among local community members, and encouraging the growth and development of the sports economy in Qatar.
Since then, AZF has emerged as the umbrella organisation for a world-leading sports academy, logistics business and renowned orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital. Bringing together this global expertise means AZF is uniquely placed to catalyse the country’s sports industry in pursuit of its ambitious vision to be ‘the Reference’ in sports excellence worldwide by 2020. It does so whilst operating as one integrated institution that adheres to a unique working model – the ‘Aspire way.’
During the past decade, AZF has continued to make significant progress towards its vision, further cementing its reputation as a leading sports hub that attracts decision-makers, community members and sporting icons from around the world. It has become an essential component in athletes’ journeys to excellence.
Every year, AZF delivers world-class events. Hugely varied and wide ranging, these include everything from community sports activities to major sports medicine, science and education conferences as well as cultural and entertainment shows and events.
Crucially AZF is playing a central role in arguably the greatest sporting spectacle of them all – the FIFA World Cup. AZF’s involvement in supporting the tournament will create an incredible sporting and social legacy for the country which includes building 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar host venues stadiums like Khalifa International Stadium and Al Khor Stadium. It is a legacy from which all members of the community stand to benefit, with access to world-class sporting facilities designed to support active and healthy lifestyles.
Research and Development at the core of AZF daily activities
AZF believes that research is the essential foundation of outstanding player performance and athlete care, and works to integrate that research into daily clinical practice, in the hospital and on the playing field.
To this end, Aspetar is continually involved in ground-breaking research endeavours. A highly trained health and medical research team utilise state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to collect data that can be used to optimise athlete performance and recovery with a focus on the epidemiology of footballing injuries and their management. Their areas of focus include the treatment of groin pain, sports cardiology, applications of platelet rich plasma, athlete screening, the epidemiology of medical conditions, sporting activity during Ramadan, environmental physiology and healthy lifestyle advice.
In Aspire Academy, the Sports Science Department manages an Applied Sport Science Research Programme designed to increase capacity for applied research across Aspire’s diverse disciplines. In addition to in-house research, the programme provides extensive scope for collaboration with external partners.
Aspire Logistics also manages a Centre of Excellence for natural sports turf research and development, and is working in very close partnership with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy to develop the turf that will cover the pitches in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar. AZF recently succeed in re-turfing the Khalifa International Stadium in world record time, covering 7,800 square metres in just 13 hours and 30 minutes. AZF’s Information Technology department has also made a major contribution to the development of the sports sector in Qatar in partnership with local and international organisations. For example, AZF has teamed up with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy and Qatar University scientists to develop innovative helmets designed to keep workers cool in summer months.
World-class facilities made AZF a destination for international teams
Aspire Zone is home to some of the finest sporting facilities and services in the world. Aspire Dome is the world’s largest indoor, multipurpose sports stadium with a seating capacity of 15,500 spread across 13 sports halls.
Other facilities include the 4,500-seat Hamad Aquatic Centre and the 2,500-person capacity Ladies Sports Hall, and two hotels: the Torch Doha Hotel and the Mövenpick Hotel Al Aziziyah Doha. Together, these make Aspire Zone a leading sports hub in Qatar and the preferred training destination for elite local, regional and international athletes.
Commenting on the Qatar Olympic Committee’s partnership with Aspire Academy through a unique Athlete Development Pathway (ADP) model, HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani said:
“Producing world-class Qatari sporting champions is a fundamental part of Qatar’s vision for sport. While Qatar has made considerable progress on the sporting field in recent years, highlighted by our three silver medals in the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer, we are keen to build on this success and continue to increase the performance of our athletes across a wider range of sports.
The ADP is a robust framework that will enable Qatar to be fully unified in our approach to identifying, developing and nurturing talented athletes at every stage of their career, from early childhood to post-retirement, enabling them to reach their full potential. It is the first of its kind in the MENA region and is another example of how Qatar is always striving to break new ground in the development of sport at every level. We are very excited to see the outcome and we look forward to a bright future for sporting excellence in Qatar,” Sheikh Joaan added.
