ASPIRE to unveil world's largest sports dome in stunning ceremony

Standing at a staggering 290,000 square-meters, the Dome is a landmark development for Qatar and the wider region, and will provide unmatched facilities for training and developing student athletes, as well as offering a venue for major sporting events like the Doha Asian Games in 2006.

Attended by a broad range of internationally-famous sporting legends and local dignitaries, a number of activities will also be open to the public, including football master-classes hosted by renowned soccer stars, table tennis competitions and an international youth football tournament.

Running parallel with these activities will be a Sport Science Conference, which will feature keynote speeches from leading sports science authorities, addressing a range of critical subjects in the field of sports development.

Dr. Thomas Flock, director general of ASPIRE, said: "The November event will provide Qatar with an international celebration of sport and sporting achievement, centred on the opening of the sports dome.

"Our aim is to use the event to bring together the key elements that will support the development of student athletes within ASPIRE - world-class facilities, international sporting talent and high levels of engagement from the people of Qatar."

The dome has been specifically engineered for excellence, offering state-of-the-art sports science labs and fitness halls under its sloping roof. Facilities within the Dome include a full-sized football field and a five-a-side pitch, a 200m athletics track, an Olympic-size swimming pool and diving pool, a gymnastics hall, a sports games hall, 13 table-tennis courts, three contact sports mats, eight fencing strips and two squash courts.

Dr. Flock added: "The ASPIRE dome will be a landmark for the sporting world, and provides a source of inspiration for athletes, here in Qatar and across this region, inspiring talented children and developing their skills to enable them to perform on the world's stage. "

The event will run from November 17 - November 19, 2005, at the ASPIRE Academy for Sports Excellence, Doha, Qatar.