Amsterdam: The Aspire4Sport and The Aspire Academy Global Summit on Football Performance & Science opened in Amsterdam yesterday with welcoming addresses from the Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam Eric van de Burg, Henk Markerink, CEO of the Amsterdam ArenA and Mr. Mohamed Khalifa Al-Suwaidi, Acting CEO of the Aspire Zone Foundation. Also present was HE Khalid Fahad Al-Khater, Qatar’s Ambassador to the Netherlands.
All three presenters focussed on the importance of the close relationship between the Netherlands and Qatar in respect to the exchange of ideas around youth and sport development, as well as close business ties and opportunities as Qatar builds towards hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the country’s wider sporting ambitions.
Eric van de Burg, Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam said: “It’s a privilege for the City to host the summit. The next two days are all about bringing together sports and business leaders from around the World. Sport is vital to helping individuals and countries. Qatar is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and we’re very excited to see how Dutch companies can work with Qatar.”  
Henk Markerink, CEO of the Amsterdam Arena, said: “It’s four and a half years since Ronald De Boer introduced the Amsterdam ArenA to the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy. Since then, we’re delighted to have subsequently worked with the SC on stadium development for Qatar 2022, not just on creating great stadiums for the tournament but to also provide a legacy beyond 2022. We’ve visited the Aspire Academy several times. It’s an excellent facility and we look forward to continue working with you.”
Mohamed Khalifa Al-Suwaidi, Acting CEO of Aspire Zone Foundation said: “For the last three years Aspire has taken these prestigious events to renowned European cities among them Paris in 2014 and Berlin in 2015. Over the two days, more than a hundred Dutch professionals of are going to participate in the business-to-business sessions between Qatari and European organizations working in the sports industry. At the same time, the Global Summit gathers the leading experts in the field of football performance from more than 60 international football clubs and federations to add another chapter to the success story of the “Aspire in the World Fellows” community that was started by Aspire in 2014.”