The mascot was designed by a Filipino expatriate in Doha, Theodore Paul Manuel, and his design was announced as the winner of the design competition on Qatar's national sports day. Twenty-one sketches were submitted and a group of young Qataris were invited to vote on their favourite designs. Following this, the head of the Qatar Olympic Committee Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and members of the local organising committee narrowed the choices down to a shortlist of three for final voting.[38]