The '19 IAAF World Outdoor Championships yesterday were awarded to Doha, Qatar, "thwarting TrackTown USA’s attempt "to host the event at the Univ. of Oregon's Hayward Field for the first time in its 31-year history, according to Chris Hansen of the Eugene REGISTER-GUARD. Doha "also was selected over Barcelona." All three potential host cities yesterday in Monaco "made final presentations to the 27 members" of the IAAF Council. UO Associate AD & TrackTown USA President Vin Lananna "led an eight-person delegation from the United States that included American sprinter Allyson Felix and Moroccan world record-holder Hicahm El Guerrouj." Deliberations "took nearly two hours and included two rounds of voting." The first round "included 12 votes for Doha, nine for Eugene and six for Barcelona, which was then eliminated." The second round of voting "saw Doha beat Eugene 15-12." Eugene "seemed like a long shot from the start, going up against major metropolitan cities with the infrastructure in place to handle such a large event and stadiums ready to seat 30,000 -- the required minimum to host the World Outdoor Championships." Lananna’s "promise of a renovated Hayward Field and upgraded UO residence halls for the athletes wasn’t enough to sway voters." Doha announced that it will hold the '19 event in late September or early October "to avoid the intense summer heat." Lananna did not indicate if TrackTown USA "would pursue another bid" (Eugene REGISTER-GUARD, 11/19).
RAISING A FEW EYEBROWS: Former USA Track & Field CEO Doug Logan said, "I’m not surprised Doha got the worlds. It’s consistent with my feeling that these big events are going to wind up going to places that have not only the fiscal resources but also the ability to make funding decisions that don’t have to meet the light of day of transparency and a public process" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/19). In L.A., David Wharton writes Qatar was an "unusual choice if only because of the controversy surrounding the country's selection" as host for the ‘22 FIFA World Cup (L.A. TIMES, 11/19). In London, Sean Ingle notes the IAAF's decision was condemned by Human Rights Watch Middle East researcher Nicholas McGeehan, who said it showed the organization's "callous indifference" to workers' rights in the country (GUARDIAN, 11/18).
