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Doha to host 2019 World Athletics Championships

Doha beat off competition from Eugene and Barcelona. Credit: PA

Doha was chosen on Tuesday to host the 2019 World Athletics Championships.

Less than a week after the controversy over Qatar's selection to stage football's World Cup in 2022 was reignited, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) was not put off by potential criticism as it voted for the Qatari capital to stage another of global sport's showpiece events.

The IAAF Council plumped for Doha ahead of two powerful, older school candidates, former Olympic hosts Barcelona and Eugene, the Nike-backed home of athletics in the United States.

Doha's athletics bid leader, Dahlan Al-Hamad, said:

"We are very happy that FIFA has investigated and announced everything is clear and can go ahead in Qatar but our concentration is to organise for the world championships in the right way, and within the IAAF rules."