Qatar will host the International School Olympic games, the Doha 2009 Gymnasiade, from December 7 to 12, with the participation of 2000 athletes representing more than 42 countries.
The participants will be competing in athletics, swimming and gymnastics at Khalifa Stadium, Aspire Dome and Hamad Aquatic Centre, all located within the Aspire Zone, which has been chosen as the venue for the competition.
The event, organized by the Supreme Education Council, Qatar Olympic Committee and the International
School Sport Federation (ISF), will be dedicated to students between the ages of 13 to 17 in an attempt to discover their sports talents.
The competition is a demonstration of Qatar’s commitment to the pursuit of sporting excellence and youth development.
Qatar has a global reputation for hosting international sporting events including the Asian Games 2006, the WTA Sony Ericsson Championships, the ATP Qatar Exxon Mobil tennis tournaments, the European PGA Qatar Masters golf tournaments, the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix, FINA Diving World Series, Equestrian Global Champions Tour and other international sports events.
In 2010, Qatar will host the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics, and in 2011 the AFC Asian Cup football tournament will be held in Qatar.