The Reds of Manchester United set up Camp at ASPIRE Academy

USA - English

• USA - English

DOHA, Qatar , January 11 /PRNewswire/ --

- Extreme Weather Conditions in England Behind the Choice of Qatar

The prestigious ASPIRE Academy for Sports Excellence is playing host to one of the biggest football clubs in the world - English Premier League champions Manchester United - in a 4-days training camp at the academy's world class football fields and sports facilities.

    (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100111/373990-a )

    (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100111/373990-b )

Extreme weather conditions, including heavy snow falls and sub-zero temperatures have hit Europe for the past week. That made United manager Sir Alex Ferguson look for warmer climes so that his players would be able to train outdoors, maintain their physical condition and recharge their batteries. Sir Alex had many alternatives to choose from but he and his team have opted for Qatar , and more precisely for the ASPIRE Academy's state-of-the art facilities.

Commenting on Manchester United's presence at ASPIRE, Director General, Tariq Abdulaziz Al-Naama said:"We, at ASPIRE, are very delighted to warmly welcome such a big team at our premises. We thank the Manchester United management for choosing Qatar and ASPIRE for their camp. In our turn, we will do all the best to make their camp and visit to our academy and our country a successful one."

The Reds started their 4 days' training camp at ASPIRE on Monday, January 11th , finishing on Thursday, January 14th, 2010 . Explaining the choice of Qatar , and ASPIRE in particular, team manager, Sir Alex Ferguson said:"I have heard a lot about the fantastic facilities at ASPIRE from my coaching staff and with the weather being so good at this time of the year in Qatar , it was the perfect opportunity to test them out. The welcome we have received has been superb and we have already done an excellent training session that just would not have been possible in the worst conditions in the UK."

Notes to Editors:

Created in 2004, the ASPIRE Academy for Sports Excellence in Doha has the dual aims of identifying and transforming promising student athletes into world-renowned champions across a wide range of sports and to act as a beacon to draw sporting culture into the centre of life in Qatar and the surrounding region.

The Academy is distinguished by a philosophy which aims to develop the student as a whole, providing them with full academic, social and sporting development.

Unrivalled facilities, housed in and around the world's largest purpose built indoor sports dome, ensure the Academy's reputation as one of the foremost sporting and educational institutions in the entire international community, enticing an ever-increasing number of visitors and users, from sporting legends to global political leaders.

Every aspect of the development of elite athletes is catered for by one indoor and seven outdoor football pitches, athletics tracks, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, diving pool, combat arenas, gymnastics arena, specially fitness weight rooms, lecture halls, dormitories to accommodate what will eventually become 1,000 students, a medical centre and many more facilities.

Launched in 2007, the ASPIRE Football Dreams project has annually tests over 600.000 young footballers from all over the world including Asia , South America and Africa as part of the largest ever talent search within the sport.

The ASPIRE ACTIVE initiative is a community engagement program spread across the country ensuring that thousands of the nation's residents have accessible and advanced health and fitness activities as routine aspects of their lives. Each social group is catered for by tailor-made classes and programs.

ASPIRE Media Information

For All media enquiries (Arabic and English) and high resolution images contact:

Hassan Esbaiss E: [email protected] M: +974-521-9545

SOURCE Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence

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