saham

bron qnoc

Doha, December 13, 2009 - The official mascot of the 13th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics will be called "Saham", the Doha 2010 organising committee revealed Saturday.

The organising committee unveiled the mascot after consulting with numerous experts in addition to the suggestions of citizens and residents of Qatar. "Saham" is a caracal, a mid-sized cat found across the Arabian Peninsula, which is especially important to Qatar because it is one of the few remnants of the desert heritage of its people.

The Caracal in Arabian lore, very much like the iconic falcon or the Lynx which it shares physical traits with, is a symbol of vitality and great skill. It has thrived in the region for many centuries even in the face of adverse weather and urban areas slowly encroaching into its natural space. Being a protected species, this mascot is also a channel for generating awareness within the local community of the presence of such majestic creatures that need our support to flourish into the future.

Many naming routes were considered including traditional and modern naming methodologies but to properly introduce the people of Qatar and the world to Saham a proper narrative had to be created and we are confident now that we have a mascot that can live up to his responsibilities, says Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Dossari, Director of Public Relations and Marketing at the Qatar Olympic Committee. "Saham is not just any mascot. Like many of us, he can tell us the story of how he became the person he is today and what makes him ideal for the job he has been entrusted with."