* Midnight marathon a world first

The necessary security measures have been put in place for the IAAF World Athletics Championships - Doha 2019, to be held from September 27 until October 6.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said the Organising Committee has made all preparations, and equipped the trained staff to play a large role in ensuring the success of the event and confirming the leadership and sovereignty of Qatar in all areas.

The committee is also keen to create a safe atmosphere for all.

The Security Committee, which is part of the Organising Committee, is fully prepared for the event and is ready to secure the sports facilities where the Doha 2019 events will be held. It is also ready to ensure the security of hotels where the participating delegations will stay.

A comprehensive security plan has been prepared for the championships to ensure the success of this major event, in accordance with the reputation of Qatar, the MoI statement states.

Captain Mubarak Bilal al-Ali, chairman of the Security Committee, said the preparations include field tours of the event's facilities in addition to drawing up road and transportation plans and the use of major roads and alternative ways to facilitate traffic for the participating teams, citizens and residents.

In particular, there will be three key sites from the security point of view. These are Khalifa International Stadium - the main venue of the games, the Doha Corniche - which will host the marathon and walking races, and Qatar Sports Club - which has been dedicated to the training of players participating in the tournament, he explained.

For the first time in the world, the marathon will be held at midnight and, therefore, the event will require special equipment, lighting and other arrangements.

Captain al-Ali also said a media plan has been developed for the security committee to educate everyone concerned, including tournament participants,

organisers, players and the public. Various media channels and social media platforms will have a major role to play in making the tournament

a success. It is also important for the public to be aware of traffic on major roads that lead to stadium and hotels.

He also advised the public to follow the instructions of security personnel inside the stadium and not to impede the movement of others or block their view.

Meanwhile, the vice-chairman of the Facilities Committee, Ahmed Khalil, said the facilities provided for the event are of a high quality and meet international standards, as reported by QNA.

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