03/03/2011 12:00 AM Doha, March 3, 2011 – During his official visit to Qatar, former Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, described Aspetar Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, as the paragon in the evolution of sports medicine. He also gave his warm congratulations to Qatar winning the bid for the FIFA World Cup 2022. Dr. Mohammed GA Al Maad’heed, General Director of Aspetar, Vice President of International Federation of Red Cross and Secretary General of Qatari Red Crescent, met with Mr. Annan during his visit to Aspetar. During the meeting the two parties reviewed aspects of cooperation in relation to the Alliance of Civilizations and the Development Goals as well as discussing a number of issues of common concern in the field of humanitarian work. The meeting focused on future cooperation in the fields of education, social and cultural activities related to charitable and humanitarian work in third world countries, more specifically from the African continent. Humanitarian challenges, most notably the issue of rapid response to disasters, such as the increasing international conflicts, was also on the agenda. Following the meeting Mr. Annan, expressed his gratitude and praised the efforts made by the Qatar Red Crescent and the State of Qatar for their contribution to humanitarian philanthropy. Mr. Annan also praised the development of Qatar and expressed deep admiration for Aspetar following Dr. Al Maad’heed’s briefing on the sports medicine services provided by the hospital for the local and international elite athletes.