IAAF President Coe says Doha championships largely a success

SHOWS: DOHA, QATAR (OCTOBER 6, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. VARIOUS OF KHALIFA STADIUM EXTERIOR

2. SIGN READING 'DOHA 2019'

3. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IAAF PRESIDENT, SEBASTIAN COE, SAYING:

"Look I think nobody is remotely suggesting that the road conditions weren't particularly in the beginning challenging."

5. REPORTERS FOLLOWING THE CONFERENCE.

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IAAF PRESIDENT, SEBASTIAN COE, SAYING:

"We haven't dealt with any severe cases. They were all manageable. And yes it was a challenge and the top athletes did come here well conditioned. They understood what those challenges were and in large part I think they've competed extraordinarily well."

7. REPORTERS FOLLOWING THE CONFERENCE.

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE VICE PRESIDENT, DAHLAN AL-HAMAD, SAYING:

"To fill a stadium is a challenge for everyone. We have seen this challenge is not in this championship only. It's in almost all the championships this challenge continues. And there are always plan B and A to continue. We are happy we reached this point."

9. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

STORY: IAAF president Sebastian Coe said the competitions in Doha were extraordinary on the level of athletes' performance despite challenging conditions at the beginning of the event, adding that no one should limit aspirations to take the championships to new locations.

Coe, speaking at a news conference at the final day of the IAAF World Athletics Championships at Khalifa International Stadium, said athletes appeared to be in good condition for their events.

Coe said that procedures in place like medical services and other provisions made all the challenges they faced manageable.

Local Organising Committee Vice President Dahlan Al-Hamad downplayed the remarkably low attendance at the event, suggesting poor attendances were an issue for championships being staged anywhere in the world.

(Production: Eman Kamel)