ID :
498226
Sun, 07/15/2018 - 22:07
Auther :

Qatar Wins the Bet... 2022 World Cup is a Source of Pride to All Arabs

Doha, July 15 (QNA) - As Russia 2018 World Cup coming to an end, eyes are turning to the State of Qatar which will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup as the first Gulf, Arab and Mideast country to win the honor to organize such a global event, held each four year. Ahead of the conclusion of Russia world Cup, President of the International Federation for Football Associations (FIFA) Gianni Infantino announced that Qatar 2022 World Cup will be held from November 21 to December 18, noting that leagues around the world have been informed already about the dates to adapt. Eight years ago, the Qatar won the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup thanks to the experience of its youth and the wisdom of its wise leadership. Since then, it has started preparing, organizing and planning. This dream was launched when the people of Qatar believed in their capabilities and readiness to begin the challenge and win the bet. Organizing the World Cup is even harder than getting the title; it carries great benefit to the host country and equal fame. The bidding procedure to host the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups began in January 2009. Initially, eleven bids were made for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but Mexico later withdrew from proceedings, and Indonesia's bid was rejected by FIFA. There were four European bids to host the 2018 World Cup: England, Russia, Spain and Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands. For the 2022 World Cup, FIFA received five bids from non-European continents because the conditions of FIFA forced the European countries to get out of the competition as the country expected to win the 2018 event is European, and two successive championships cannot be held in the same continent. At the end, the competition was between five files, Qatar, the United States, South Korea, Japan and Australia. They were difficult moments for all Arabs, before Qatar was announced the host of the 2022 World Cup. Qatar fought hard and carried the flag of the Arabs and the Middle East region which have never before win the bid after Morocco failed in 2003, followed by Egypt in 2006 and 2010. Over the past years, Qatar has worked hard to prove to the whole world that it is able to win the bet and organize the largest sports forums of all kinds which were not limited to football. Doha has an impressive history record for hosting major tournaments. It has been organizing major events since 1993 when veteran German Boris Becker and Steffi Graf participated in Qatar Open. In 1995, Doha hosted the FIFA World Youth Championship which witness the birth of talented Ortega and Real Madrid's historic back-up Salgado and other talents. Doha has also been able to organize the Commercial Bank Masters for Golf since 1998, in addition to organizing tennis tournaments, Squash, Golf, Formula 1, MotoGP and others. Qatar had the honor to organize the AFC Asian Cup in 2011, as well as world clasico between Brazil and England and then between Brazil and Argentina, as the only Middle East country. The State of Qatar has repeatedly affirmed and promised to win FIFA's confidence in a historic organization, in which it will present creative innovations aimed at driving football to further growth in the Arab countries, which will become the biggest beneficiaries of holding the World Cup in the Middle East. Qatar's bid impressed everyone, as the 2022 World Cup focused on the sports facilities on which Doha added its special character by mixing modern construction with its local heritage. This resulted in designs for stadiums, hotels and roads that represent a combination of the charm of the East and the West. Visitors to the country will enjoy more than football matches, they will see stunning playgrounds such as Lusail Stadium which will host the opening and closing ceremonies, and can accommodate more than 86,000 people. Qatar's victory was based on sound planning, a firm will and learning from others' mistakes. Doha has challenged all conditions including the small space and climate, and worked on marketing for its most important features, using the leading means of technology and the latest techniques of solar power, in order to create the ideal conditions for players and the fans. Despite the small size of Qatar, its geographical location will be an advantage unlike many big countries with large distant that organized the tournament in the past such as South Africa, South Korea, Japan, Chile, Argentina and Mexico. The proximity of stadium sites is one of the most important factors that distinguish Qatar World Cup. It will make it easier for the fans to attend more than one game a day, something that has never happened before. Doha is seeking to develop football in the Middle East. After the end of the 2022 World Cup, Qatar will give the upper parts of the stadiums (nine stadiums) to developing countries that do not have highly efficient stadiums and suffer from a lack of infrastructure sports, the remaining parts of the stadiums will remain in Qatar to accommodate up to 25,000 spectators. Qatar enjoys ideal weather conditions in the winter, making it a favorite hub for top European clubs, such as Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain, to hold their winter camps in Doha to escape the bitter cold on the European continent. Doha is also a unique tourist destination for Asian and African clubs and teams, and the destination for high-caliber names and stars for recovery of injuries thanks the Qatari high-quality sporting facilities and facilities. Qatar 2022 bid included the use of sustainable technologies, cooling systems in playgrounds, training areas and spectators' areas, which were all implemented and launched in Khalifa International Stadium 5 year ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Observers considered it a clear commitment from Doha to organizing an unprecedented version in the history of the World Cup. Qatar has embarked on a series of projects, including hotels, airports, ports, stadiums, hospitals, highways, transportation and railways to accommodate hundreds of thousands of fans expected to arrive in Doha during the World Cup. Al Wakrah and Al Bayt stadiums will be completed before the end of 2018, while other stadiums (Al Thumama, Al Rayyan, Qatar Foundation, Ras Abu Aboud and Lusail) will be finished in 2020, two years before Qatar World Cup. Qatar was subjected to baseless distortion, inciting campaigns aiming at failing its bid and undermining its efforts by a just and illegal siege imposed by its neighbors, but Doha has won the bet. The FIFA has always affirmed that the accusations against Doha are baseless and that those campaigns are just smoke in the air. The FIFA affirmed in more than one occasion that the preparations for Qatar 2022 World Cup are continuing and being implemented. Qatar continues to accomplish remarkable achievements, and is going on with its plans and construction works for the World Cup facilities. In august 2017, Doha inaugurated Al Thumama Stadium; the 40,000-seat stadium will host 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar matches through to the quarter-finals. Its design represents the Gahfiya, a traditional woven cap worn by males across the Arab world and beyond. In November 2017, Qatar inaugurated Ras Abu Aboud Stadium which was constructed using shipping containers, removable seats and other modular building blocks. Its parts will be used in other sporting or non-sporting projects, setting a new standard in sustainability and introducing bold new ideas in tournament legacy planning. In October 2017, Qatar signed 36 agreements to protect workers with countries whose citizens represent large proportions of the workforce in Qatar. In November 2017, the ILO closed a "complaint" against Qatar after the government passed labor protection legislation and pledged further reforms and technical cooperation with the UN organization through a three-year comprehensive program. Also in November 2017, Qatar imposed a minimum wage as part of its commitment to implement its promises to the international community, as well as the adoption of a law regulating the entry and exit of expatriates in December 2016. (QNA)

X