The head of the European Athletic Association, Svein Arne Hansen, has defended holding the world championships in Qatar, calling it a "big first step" to promote the sport in the region.
Referring to concerns raised by some about the Doha weather, Hansen said many participants had not been affected by it as most competitions were held in the Khalifa International Stadium where a cooling system has been installed to counter the heat.
"If you want to enlarge the fan base, we have to move out....We have to move around the world with championships," the Norwegian official said.
"The temperatures inside the stadium are perfect.
"Qatar has invested a lot of money in the stadium," Hansen added."It is a big first step for having championships in the region."
The first athletics event of its kind in the Middle East comes three years before Qatar hosts the 2022 football World Cup.
He blamed the timetable for the poor attendance in the opening days."You can't make people sit there at 11.30 [pm]," he said."Normally, people go to work in the morning."
Organisers attributed the low attendance to the event times catering for a global television audience.
