DIPLOMATIC THIERRY!

FRENCH Secretary of State for Sports Thierry Braillard, who was on a short visit to Doha last week, was all praise for Qatar’s successful organisation of the UCI Road World Championships and promised their support to the country’s future endeavours.

“The World Championships were a great example of Qatar’s popularity as a successful host. It was nice to see huge turnout. Doha has developed into a major sports hub in the region by organising several international events in the last decade,” Braillard told Doha Stadium Plus.

“France supports Qatar in all its initiatives, particularly in sports, as we’ve a very good relationship between us. We’ll support them with our knowledge and expertise to organise any future international competitions,” said the 52-year-old.

Braillard, whose visit was a part of Paris’ 2024 Olympic bid campaign, watched the men’s and women’s elite road events at the Pearl-Qatar last Sunday.

“Sports diplomacy was one of the reasons behind my visit. Our target is to maximise the support. It’s my second trip to Doha after last year’s World Handball Championship, but this time, it means a lot to us. We’re campaigning to build support for our Olympic bid,” he said.

Paris is competing with Los Angeles and Budapest after Hamburg and Rome withdrew from the race citing financial difficulties.

“Paris and Los Angeles are leading the race, but I’m confident we can pull it off,” he added. 

The French government is fully supporting the bid, with Prime Minister Manuel Valls committing €1bn. 

The campaign was officially launched in February, with the slogan La Force d’un Reve or The Strength of a Dream.

Braillard exuded confidence that the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar would be a huge success.

“Hosting the World Cup will be an important step. The stadiums are being constructed. I’m sure Qatar will be up to the task and the competition will be a great success,” said Braillard. DSP