In its role as diamond sponsor for the 12th Arab Games, Qatar-based telecommunications company, Qtel, is set to offer the most sustained support campaign ever provided to a major sporting event in the country.

With athletes competing in some 33 sports and visitors arriving from across the Middle East, Qtel has pledged to use its track-record of innovation and pace-setting regional presence to help make the Qatar-hosted event a success, a statement from the company said.

Other companies within the Qtel Group acting as associate sponsors, providing support and information to the athletes and visitors include Nawras (Oman), Wataniya (Kuwait), Asiacell (Iraq), Nedjma (Algeria), Tunisiana (Tunisia), Bravo (Saudi Arabia), Wataniya Palestine (Palestine), and wi-tribe (Jordan).

In addition, Qtel has worked with the Qatar University Wireless Innovations Centre (Quwic), to build a new mobile application that will enable sports fans to follow the progress of every sport and venue during games, the statement said.

The application, which will work on both BlackBerry and Apple smartphones, as well as other phones using a mobile web browser such as Opera, will be made available for free downloading.

This campaign will be supported by a major on-the-ground presence, including a special fan zone with a wide range of games and entertainments for visitors. In addition to this, the company will launch a regional advertising campaign, it said.

Qtel has a history of supporting key events that fuel excitement about sport and the sporting lifestyle, and as the company has grown to achieve a presence in 17 markets, the group has continued to act as a major supporter of sport on a regional and international basis, the statement said.

The 2011 Arab Games will be held from December 9 to 23, 2011.The first games took place in 1953 in Alexandria, Egypt, it said. – TradeArabia News Service