Qatar welcomes Palestinian lifter Hamada as he prepares for Paris Games
Qatar has thrown open its doors to Palestinian weightlifter Mohammed Hamada to help him prepare to qualify (by universal place) and compete in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
Hamada, who became the first athlete from his country to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Games, finished 13th in the 96kg category. The 22-year-old has already arrived in Doha, following the ongoing conflicts in Gaza, reported Inside The Games.
Hamada was welcomed warmly by IWF President Mohammed Jalood, Asian Weightlifting Federation President Mohamed Al Mana, and IWF Athletes Commission Chair Forrester Osei.
The Qatar Weightlifting Federation will help him undergo various training programmes and also provide him with correct meals, medical and physiotherapy facilities.
“It’s our duty to welcome and support any athlete having problems in his country. We needed to ensure Hamada remains in good shape and can train in normal conditions. We’re confident he’ll be able to get a universal place for the Games. We aren’t doing this exclusively in Qatar. We’re a weightlifting family, and we do this as a family, helping one of its members,” Al Mana was quoted as saying by Inside The Games.
Osei was appreciative of the action taken by the Qatar Weighlifting Federation.
“There’s very good infrastructure here for all athletes aiming to train at the highest level. I used some of the facilities, and I must say the federation’s work has been amazing in developing the sport in this region,” said Osei, who represents Ghana in international events.
“Hamada will find a friendly and optimal environment here, and we’ll make our best to ensure his preparation is good, should he be selected for the Games in Paris,” said the IWF Athletes Commission chair.
This is not the first time Qatar has stepped up to help a sportsman, woman or organisation during their hour of need.
In February 2020, Qatar hosted China’s national table tennis team at the Aspire Academy, providing them with training facilities and equipment, including 2,000 TT balls. The team stayed and trained in Doha for months in order to avoid the coronavirus outbreak at home.
A year earlier, Qatari organisers came to the rescue of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) after USA’s San Diego pulled out of hosting the inaugural ANOC World Beach Games.
Earlier this year, Qatar stepped in as hosts of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup after China pulled out at the last moment.
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