AZF welcomes delegation led by Soccerex chairman

‘Young athletes in Qatar are very fortunate to be trained in these facilities’Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) welcomed a high-level delegation of representatives from international sporting organisations to Aspire Zone for a visit and tour of the facilities. Led by Soccerex chairman Tony Martin, delegates travelled to Doha to participate in the Soccerex Asian Forum 2016.They were welcomed to Aspire Zone by senior officials, including, Mohammad al-Kuwari, director of Venues and Events at Aspire Logistics, Ateeq Sultan, director of Supply Chain, and Nasser Abdullah al-Hajri, director of PR and Communications.As part of their visit, delegates were given a tour of Aspire Zone’s venues, including Aspire Academy, and were briefed about the services and programmes available to athletes and community members. Following the tour, officials from Aspire Zone Foundation joined members of the delegation in a meeting to discuss bilateral relations in athletics.Praising Aspire Zone’s facilities, Martin said, “Aspire Zone has become a leading player on the international sports arena and should be proud of all that it has achieved. Young athletes in Qatar are very fortunate to be trained in these world-class facilities, which you don’t often see in other parts of the world. We’re delighted to have played a part in supporting the Aspire Zone Foundation’s success during the past fifteen years, working in close partnership together in five continents and more than 60 countries.”Highlighting the importance of the visit, AZF’s al-Hajri said, “We’re happy to welcome the Soccerex delegation to the Aspire Zone in line with our goal of developing the sporting sector in Qatar. Supporting the country’s progress as a regional sports hub, Aspire Zone Foundation aims to attract a wide range of visitors including leading experts and professionals in the field of sports to exchange ideas, expertise and discuss potential cooperation.”This visit follows a partnership agreement signed between Soccerex and Aspire Zone Foundation and its member organisations – Aspire Academy, Aspetar and Aspire Logistics – ahead of the Asian Forum that finished on December 6.As part of the partnership, Professor Valter Di Salvo and Stephen Bourke from Aspire Academy, and Physiotherapist Nicol van Dyk and Dr. Celeste Geertsema from Aspetar participated in panel discussions at the Soccerex Asian Forum 2016, sharing their insight and expertise on topics such as innovations in sports performance and Aspetar’s approach to protecting players’ health.The forum featured world-renowned sporting figures including former Barcelona star Xavi, who is a current advisor at Aspire Academy. Speaking on the occasion, Xavi said, “I’m honoured to support Aspire Academy’s mission to develop talented young athletes and the stars of tomorrow. The set up here is unique with incredible facilities unlike any other in the world. Aspire Academy is making very real progress in supporting the country’s broader sporting aims and ambitions in enabling talented young footballers to fulfil their potential.”Xavi also praised Aspire Academy graduate Akram Afif, who has recently signed with Spanish club Villarreal CF, saying, “Akram Afif is an inspiration to many young Qataris as he has proven that taking part in European Leagues alongside professional players is a realistic goal and target for athletes who truly commit and dedicate themselves to hard work and training.”