Qatar Gymnastics Federation (QGF) will mark its 20th year anniversary by hosting the annual FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup from March 18-21 at the Aspire Dome. Under QGF president Ali al-Hitmi, gymnastics has made some huge strides in Qatar and have hosted number of international events. This year’s FIG World Cup will be the 13th edition, while QGF also successfully hosted 2018 FIG World Gymnastics Championships, which was the first in the Middle East.
The 2018 Worlds, which saw participation of gymnasts from 78 countries, was rated as one of the best in history of the competition. “This year’s event will be special as we are celebrating 20 years since the Qatar Gymnastics Federation was formed,” said al-Hitmi. “We have come a long way in making Qatar a hub of the gymnastics world. We are looking forward to hosting a successful event. Many countries have already confirmed their participation and we are expecting a big number of gymnasts in action at Aspire Dome,” he added.
Al-Hitmi said QGF has received confirmation from around 250 gymnasts, who will represent 44 countries, with entries still open. “We have received confirmation from 156 male and 91 female gymnasts so far. At QGF, we have a vast experience of organising top-notch events and we are confident to host this event in a befitting way,” he said.
The World Cup will also carry Olympics qualification points. “The FIG World Cup in Doha will carry points for Tokyo Olympics qualification and we can expect thrilling performance from gymnasts during the event,” he added.
Speaking on the coronavirus outbreak which is affecting sports competitions worldwide, al-Hitmi said the organising committee will take maximum precautions for safety of all the participants. “Health safety is our priority and we will make all the possible arrangements to ensure safety of the gymnasts. We are in constant touch with our health ministry for guidance. We will do our best to provide such an environment for the athletes that they will only have to focus on their performance and nothing else,” he said.
The qualification rounds will be held on the first two days of the competition, with the finals scheduled for the last two days. All the top gymnasts are expected to feature in the upcoming event.