Dubai Will Host 2019 World Para Athletics Championships

Dubai will host the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in November 2019, according to an announcement from the World Para Athletics division of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

The championships will be held at the newly built athletics stadium Dubai Club, with more than 1,300 athletes from more than 100 countries expected to take part in the competition.

The World Championships will not only be the pinnacle of the Para athletics season in 2019 but will also act as the last major opportunity for athletes to gain slots for their National Paralympic Committees for the Tokyo 2020 summer Paralympic Games.

Commenting on the award of the hosting rights to Dubai, IPC summer sports director Ryan Montgomery said: “It is great to have the event back in Asia less than one year before the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

“Dubai and the UAE have been very important partners of the Paralympic Movement for a long time and we have full confidence that Dubai will exceed our expectations.

“With the support of the Local Organising Committee, we will build once again on the success of previous editions by enhancing our TV and social media audiences, increasing our education programmes and furthering our anti-doping initiatives,” he said.

“We want athletes to have the best possible environment to achieve their goals.”

Majid Rashed, chief executive of the Dubai Club for People of Determination, added: “As a club and as an emirate, we have a long tradition within our organisation of delivering world-class sporting events.”

“We will build on what we have learned from hosting the Para-Athletics Asia-Oceania Championships and our annual World Para Athletics Grand Prix, ensuring that this championship builds on the success of previous editions and the athletes inspire the world.”