Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, secretary general of the Qatar Olympic Committee, made the announcement during the penultimate day of the nation's 2014 Schools Olympic Programme (SOP) at the Aspire Dome, which hosted the 2010 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Indoor Championships.

"We are proud to host the IPC Athletics World Championships in 2015 because we have a duty and commitment to people with disabilities who seek to excel in sport and thereby inspire others," he said.

"Qatar has always been a pioneer in promoting sports for differently-abled people and the World Championships next year will take our commitment to a new level."

Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced Qatar made the formal agreement that confirms Doha as the host city of the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships ©Getty Images


Wilfried Lemke, the United Nations secretary general's special advisor on sport for development and peace, was also in attendance in Doha and praised the nation for promoting disability sport.

"I have been a regular visitor to Qatar since the past 10 years and have been impressed by the way Qatar is using sport in a tool for the development of society," he explained.

"I have visited the Shafallah Centre for Children with Special Needs and have seen the commitment Qatar has made towards promoting their interests and integrating them into the mainstream."

Doha was confirmed as the host city of the IPC Athletics World Championships - which will take place in November 2015 and be the last major gathering of the world's best athletes before the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games - last January.

The Qatari capital had put in a joint bid for the 2015 and 2017 editions, but the IPC awarded the 2017 competition to London.

Doha was the sole bidder for the 2015 event.

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