By Mike Rowbottom

Diamond League Doha May 10 2013May 12 - The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League, which is seeking a title sponsor following the ending of Samsung's connection with the event, may look to a Qatari business to fill the gap.


Asked if a Qatari business might take up the role, which has been filled by Samsung since 2010, Dahlan al Hamad, President of the Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) and IAAF vice-president, did not rule it out.

"I will be more than happy to see a Qatari companies host it because I will be more proud," he said.

The IAAF Diamond League is currently negotiating to find a new title sponsor, but al Hamad has backed up the statement made by Lamine Diack, President of the IAAF, that finding a replacement, while being desirable, is not critical.

"Samsung is a good sponsor for the IAAF, but let us understand that when we have started the Diamond League it was the IAAF Diamond League, it is not the Samsung Diamond League," al Hamad said.

"It was created by the IAAF. Samsung came to sponsor the Diamond League, which was good. They have changed their mind, for some reason, okay, so the IAAF is coming back.

"So there is no harm, the meet is going to go on because I don't think the reason the IAAF has decided to have this Diamond League is to work with sponsors to keep it.

"This is part of our development programme so it has to stay, always.

"And this has been the message that President Diack is trying to give, that this Diamond League is part of the development of the IAAF and it has to stay going."

Allyson Felix visits Al Jazeera Doha May 2013Four-time Olympic gold medallist Allyson Felix was among several leading athletes who visited Al Jazeera's headquarters in Doha on the eve of the IAAF Diamond League event

Meanwhile the Doha-based TV broadcasters, Al Jazeera, appear ready to pursue a closer connection with the Diamond League.

Recently the Al Jazeera subsidiary BeInSports has taken up the rights to broadcast the Diamond League in France and there the parent company may well be interested in seeking the contract to broadcast in the Middle East when the next contract comes up in 2015.

That contract is currently held by Abu Dhabi Media.

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