High-Ranking International Delegations Visit Qatar Aspire Academy

Doha, September 29 (QNA) - Aspire Academy hosted a number of sporting dignitaries and officials on the sidelines of the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha. Academy welcomed a high-ranking delegation from Italy including the Minister of Youth Policies and Sport, Vincenzo Spadafora, the President of the Italian Athletics Federation, Alfio Giomi and the Italian Ambassador to Qatar, Pasquale Salzano. The delegation was welcomed by Aspire Academy's Director of Football Performance and Science, Prof. Valter di Salvo, who told them about the Academy's philosophy and showed them around the facilities starting from the Dome over the Football Performance Center up to the school. "My impression is extraordinary, this is a center for excellence that has its eyes on the future and embraces the world of sport and football in particular", said Vincenzo Spadafora. He also agrees on the importance of investing in the development of young athletes, because it shapes them for life. "In Italy I want a dynamic that brings together youth and sport, not only for the young athletes, or for the sake of sports in general, but also because sport is a conductor of social adhesion and participation for all youngsters, and I believe that, with all this investment and infrastructures dedicated to the youth, that this is the best way to unite two themes, sport and education, that are the foundation for the future of any country". On Saturday, President of Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Jean Todt accompanied by Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai, President of Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and Nicola Coscione, assistant to FIA president visited Aspire Academy. Aspire Academy Director of Sport and Strategy, Markus Egger welcomed the pair before going on to lead the tour of the Academy complex. The FIA President showed huge interest with the state-of-the-art technology that he saw in the Football Performance Center and further expressed his delight at the work and cooperation already in place between Aspire Academy and QMMF. "I am pleased that my friend Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai brought me over to see Aspire Academy, l am speechless after what l have seen and heard about this place. I congratulate the people of Qatar for the vision and inspiration to build Aspire Academy to train and develop athletes. Aspire is indeed a great achievement and l congratulate all the people involved. I see great opportunity for a cooperation and collaboration between FIA and Aspire, so l am going to speak with my friend Abdulrahman, QMMF president about finding and developing new talent in Qatar and use this fantastic facility-Aspire Academy. I am sure we will come to some arrangement", said Jean Todt. (QNA)