Doha's Aspire Zone becomes public corporation

The Emir of Qatar is to establish a public corporation under the name 'Aspire Zone' to run the sports and leisure precinct formerly known as the Sport City - the main venue for the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006.

The Aspire Zone will be overseen by H.H. the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, who is also chairman of the Qatari National Olympic Committee (QNOC), and will have an independent budget 'according to commercial standards', the Emir's administrators said.

The Emiri decision has also defined the goals, functions, departments and financial system of the corporation. According to the decision, Aspire Zone will have a president and deputy president appointed by an Emiri decision.

Ruth Wicks, formerly head of public relations at the English Football Association and the marketing agency Octagon, is currently the Marketing Director at Aspire Zone.