Former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion and 1968 Olympic gold medallist George Foreman, Jamaican triple Olympic gold medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown, former Olympic Champion and US Track & Field director Jackie Joyner-Kersee, 1992 Olympic gold medallist Linford Christie, tennis player and 2013 Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli, and retired German international footballer Christoph Metzelder have confirmed to appear at this year’s Doha GOALS Forum, which is held under the patronage of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

The event is scheduled to run from November 3-5, 2014, at the Aspire Academy in Doha.

These champions will be joined by two-time Olympic gold medallist and chairman of the London Organizing Committee for the 2012 Olympic Games Sebastian Coe, three-time Paralympic gold medallist Hou Bin, and former tennis world number one Boris Becker at the Doha GOALS Forum.

Doha GOALS Forum executive director HE Sheikh Faisal bin Mubarak al-Thani said: “Each year at the Doha GOALS Forum we aim to invite a combination of global leaders, sporting heroes, business leaders and students to give us a diverse group of participants that in turn allows for wide range of opinions and creates hundreds of ideas for positive change. It is for those reasons that we’re thrilled to be welcoming some of the greatest names in sport to Doha GOALS 2014.”

China’s triple Paralympic champion Hou Bin said: “I know first-hand how sport can help improve your life. When you are on the field, everyone is equal…it doesn’t matter what race you are, the language you speak – you strive towards a similar goal as your competitor and you carry the same concerns. It is a reminder of our similarities, struggles and strength when we work together. Sport improved my life and I want to help it improve the lives of others. I am excited to attend, and continue the fantastic work of Doha GOALS towards making a real global difference.”

Participants at Doha GOALS 2014 will address four touchstones: engaging youth, innovation and creativity, empowering people, and the role of sport in the Middle East and North Africa. Packed with a fast pace agenda to inspire creative and dynamic dialogue, these touch points are also reflected in the selection of speakers.

Doha GOALS Forum has again invited 400 students from across the globe to engage with the forum as part of the Student Ambassadors programme.

Executive producer Richard Attias said: “These outstanding young leaders are selected for their academic, leadership and athletic abilities and for their proven involvement in their communities. This year’s programme will have even greater geographical reach, with a focus on the emerging world and the Middle East.

“Leading up to the Doha GOALS Forum, these young men and women will be asked to come up with their own initiatives to implement in their communities. Select students who have launched exciting initiatives will be invited to speak about their projects in front of an audience of global thought leaders."

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