Key Takeaways
- Qatar Olympic Committee partners with World Athletics and Qatar Fund for Development to build 11 inclusive running tracks across 11 countries
- Target locations include Anguilla, Burundi, Cook Islands, Dominica, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Palestine, Panama, Tajikistan, Tanzania, and Ukraine
- Each track features eco-friendly materials and accommodations for athletes with disabilities
- Project extends the legacy of the Doha 2019 World Athletics Championships into tangible global infrastructure
- Initiative positions sport development as a diplomatic and development tool through the Doha Forum platform
Strategic Partnership Extends Doha 2019 Legacy
The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) formally launched “Aim Beyond” on December 8 during the Doha Forum, a three-day global diplomacy event. The project brings together QOC, World Athletics, and the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) to address infrastructure gaps in countries where athletic facilities lag behind local talent.
The signing ceremony featured QOC Secretary General Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain and QFFD Director General Fahad Hamad Al-Sulaiti. The agreement channels resources from Qatar’s 2019 World Athletics Championships into permanent infrastructure for communities that currently lack adequate training facilities.
World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon attended the ceremony and connected the project directly to accessibility challenges facing the sport. “In many communities around the world, athletic talent is abundant, but facilities are not, and that’s where Aim Beyond makes its mark,” Ridgeon said.
Target Countries and Facility Specifications
The 11 countries selected for track construction span four continents and represent diverse development contexts. The list includes island nations (Anguilla, Cook Islands, Dominica), Central Asian republics (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan), African countries (Burundi, Tanzania), Eastern European nations (Moldova, Ukraine), a Central American state (Panama), and Palestine.
Each facility will incorporate two specific design priorities. First, tracks will use eco-friendly construction materials, though the announcement did not specify the exact materials or sustainability certifications. Second, each track will include accommodations for athletes with disabilities, making them accessible to a broader range of community members.
Beyond athletics training, the tracks are designed to function as community gathering spaces. The project positions each facility as a hub for youth engagement and athletic development rather than competition-only infrastructure.
Framing Sport as Development Strategy
Qatar Fund for Development’s involvement signals the country’s approach to positioning sports infrastructure within its broader international development portfolio. Fahad Hamad Al-Sulaiti, the fund’s director general, described sport as “a transformative catalyst for human development and social progress.”
The timing and venue of the announcement reinforces this framing. The Doha Forum, which ran from December 6 to 8 under the theme “Diplomacy, Dialogue and Diversity,” brings together heads of state, policymakers, and international organization leaders to address global challenges.
By launching Aim Beyond at this platform, Qatar connects athletic infrastructure to diplomacy and development rather than purely sporting objectives. The project treats facility construction as a foreign policy and development tool that generates goodwill while addressing real infrastructure needs.
World Athletics Seeks Expanded Member Federation Support
Jon Ridgeon’s comments emphasized World Athletics’ strategic interest in strengthening its member federations through infrastructure partnerships. “Partnerships drive our mission to make athletics accessible and inspiring for all,” Ridgeon said, describing the collaboration as “strategic, human-centered teamwork.”
The project addresses a persistent challenge for World Athletics: talented athletes in emerging markets who lack basic training facilities. While many countries produce competitive runners, training infrastructure often consists of dirt roads or makeshift tracks that limit athlete development.
Ridgeon credited QOC President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani directly, stating “Our sport owes you an enormous debt of gratitude” for the commitment to expanding athletics infrastructure. This recognition suggests Qatar is positioning itself as a long-term partner for global athletics development beyond hosting major events.
Youth Access and Legacy Conversion
Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain framed the project as legacy activation from Qatar’s 2019 World Championships. “Just as Doha 2019 allowed Qatar to aim beyond its limits in pursuit of its ultimate dream, so too will this project create opportunities for young athletes to reach their full potential,” Al Buenain said.
The statement positions Qatar’s event hosting as a starting point rather than an end goal. Instead of letting championship infrastructure and investment remain concentrated in Doha, the Aim Beyond project distributes resources to countries that did not host the event but could benefit from similar facilities.
This approach addresses a common criticism of major sporting events: that host countries build extensive infrastructure for short-term use while countries with greater development needs receive no benefit. By channeling resources outward, Qatar attempts to demonstrate that event hosting can generate broader international impact.
Strategic Implications for Youth Sports Development
The Aim Beyond model offers a blueprint for how major sporting events in resource-rich countries can generate infrastructure benefits beyond their borders. Rather than limiting legacy projects to the host nation, this approach treats international facility development as part of the event’s long-term impact.
For the 11 recipient countries, the tracks provide infrastructure that would likely take years to fund and construct through domestic budgets alone. Each facility potentially serves multiple purposes: athlete training, school physical education, community recreation, and regional competition hosting.
The project’s success will likely depend on operational sustainability after construction. Community use, maintenance funding, and integration with local athletics federations will determine whether the tracks become active training centers or underutilized facilities.
via: World Athletics
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