Qatar 2022/ Acclaim Continues Pouring in Over Qatar's Exceptional World Cup Hosting

Doha, December 20 (QNA) - Gulf, Arab and international commendations continued for the State of Qatar's organization of an exceptional version of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and they have unanimously agreed that the State of Qatar organized, excelled and succeeded in holding unprecedented and historic tournament that was translated into all words, phrases and world languages. The media circles stressed that every single Arab person boasts of what Qatar has achieved, as the state, people and institutions remarkably excelled in producing this unique version of the World Cup and offered a beautiful Arab image in sporting, cultural and social event. In this context, the British journalist Shirley Brooks lauded the organization made by the State of Qatar to host the 2022 tournament whose competitions drew to a close on Dec.18, by the coronation of Argentine as title holder, emphasizing that the tournament was utterly exceptional by all accounts. In an article published by The Telegraph Newspaper, Brooks described Qatar's organization of the world cup as impressive and accurate, albeit numerous media campaigns that preceded the tournament and accompanied its start, pointing out that everyone cannot help, but raise the hat in tribute to Qatar's efforts in organizing the tournament. Shirley Brooks, who is a sociologist and journalist interested in horse riding in Britain, said that when comparing between what Qatar has made in organizing the world cup and what Britain made in organizing the UEFA Euro 2020 Final which witnessed riots, everyone can ask a question where would they like to take their 10-year-old daughter, calling on all people to learn from the recent world cup tournament that was criticized, pointing out that the real question will be about what the tournament has achieved, as countries that were not anticipated to flourish have actually flourished, and everyone who attended the tournament in Qatar confirmed that it was very safe and brilliantly organized. In his closing statements Brooks added that that all people should ask Qatar for advice on how to run sporting events instead of lecturing it about acceptable and unacceptable clothing. For his part, an Egyptian Academic confirmed that the Qatari bisht that had been placed on the shoulder of the footballer Lionel Messi by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani consolidated a knowledge and cultural diversity that renews life in different sports activities. In his statements to the Russian SPUTNIK, Professor of Media at Cairo University Dr. Safwat Al-Alam said that the diversity of the spectators that came to Qatar to participate in in cheering their teams represents a vital vision in the cognitive and cultural diversity, as the fans were numerous and differed in their methods of cheering, along with their interests in the players, which represents new cultural and knowledge tributaries that affected even in terms of dealing with the people of Qatar. While a Swiss analyst said in his remarks to Swiss RTS Radio that the State of Qatar came out with a bright image from the tournament, despite the controversy and the skepticism that were raised about the tournament, For his part, the Swiss retired footballer Sebastien Barberis said that Qatar came out with a bright image after organizing the 2022 tournament in light of the skepticism that was raised about the hosting conditions and the controversy surrounding them, indicating that despite the occurrence of many things during the tournament, however, people witnessed a very beautiful tournament at the stadium, specially with the surprises that occurred, whilst the champions were Morocco, Japan and Senegal, as well as Saudi Arabia's victory over Argentina, where they saw very powerful images and games that were accompanied by a lot of excitement, adding that he has rarely seen a final like this in the World Cup, in terms of the intensity of contest and the scoring of many goals with a lot of suspense, considering that the final game will remain one of the legendary competitions in the history of the World Cup. A report by German ZDF TV shed light on the coincidence of the conclusion of the World Cup in Qatar with the celebration of the National Day, adding that World Cup carried a set of political messages, the most important of which was the expression of fans and players of Arab teams about their love for Palestine, noting that the people of Qatar do not view the World Cup final match as an end, but rather a new beginning to move forward and achieve further accomplishments. Professor at Georgetown University in Doha Dr. Danyel Reiche said that FIFA President considered Qatar tournament as the best in history, but this never conceals the fact that it is the most controversial tournament, noting Qatar's success in hosting and organizing many sporting events and tournaments such as the Asian Games, Handball Championship, and the FIFA World Cup now reflects the importance of sport for Qatar as a tool. Another report in the German TV said that Qatar's tournament was held in an imaginative vibes away from all concerns that were raised about it, and Qatar wanted this tournament to be engrained in the memories of all those who attended it, which thrilled all masses, including the European spectators for the seamless and smooth organization of this event, pointing out that the carnival vibes overshadowed everything, including Souq Waqif, and the subways that witnessed the celebrations of the fans who were able to attend more than one game per day. A France 24 report hailed the State of Qatar as another World Cup winner after its high-level organization of the world's biggest sporting event. The easy access to stadiums along with and the enthusiastic barrier-free fan atmosphere made the tournament one of the best at the organizational level, the report said. France fans who visited Qatar see that the country completely succeeded in hosting this tournament. The reception was warm and the organization was wonderful," the report entitled "World Championship 2022: Did Qatar succeed?" said, citing fans who said they were invited for dinner or lunch at some Qataris' homes amid an exceptional atmosphere. In this context, French writer Frederic Charillon said that Qatar succeeded in the World Cup hosting, and it was unjustifiable to bring the debate back in the future. Another report by Lebanon-based Al Mayadeen channel said that the closing of the World Cup ended anti-Qatar criticism, hailing Doha as the host of the best-ever World Cup at the organizational level. Arabs imposed their identity despite all marginalization policies, the pan-Arabist channel said. The Al Riyadia program's report added that Doha achieved many gains, with the World Cup closing ceremony showing pride in values and principles as well as the Arab cultural identity. This World Cup edition included a visual identity that reflected the goals of the organizing committee, indelible works of art, and a post-World Cup infrastructure, the report added, highlighting Al Bayt Stadium which simulates Arab hospitality, and Al Thumama Stadium which simulates the Qatari traditional hat. The report also highlighted the bisht (Qatari ceremonial robe) being draped by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani over Argentina star Lionel Messi following wining the World Cup trophy. Both the World Cup opening and closing ceremonies sent messages of equality, love and fraternity, in an eloquent Arabic language that FIFA spoke as an official language, the report said. Retired Tunisia footballer and sports analyst, Naoufel Ben Youssef, hailed the World Cup in Qatar as the best football tournament that has taken place so far. In an interview with France 24 channel, Ben Youssef said Arabs should be proud for having shown their potentials to the world and the Arab and African teams for showing their overwhelming performances. He also hailed the trouble-free presence and arrangement of the Arab and African fans in the World Cup. Qatar and the Qataris must be thanked for the role they played to host this tournament, he added. Russian writer Yuri Sigov said that Qatar achieved its goal and was in the center of attention of everyone in the world, whether those who criticized its customs and traditions, those who admired the skyscrapers and the Doha Metro, as a 22nd century model, or those who unusually called the 2022 World Cup the best in history. In an article in the Russian-speaking newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta, the writer pointed out that this championship gave an important lesson to all of humanity, not just football fans, which is that regardless of who wins in such tournaments, football is the most profitable and popular business and a source of positive and indescribable emotions. For its part, the Russian newspaper Sport-Express published an article by the head of the Football Department of the newspaper Konstantin Alekseev entitled "Football defeat politics.. Thank you, Qatar, for such a World Cup," in which he stated that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which was held in Qatar, was the most exciting in history, adding that many attempts were made to politicize the World Cup, such as talking about violating the rights of immigrants, calls to boycott the tournament, and other things, and it turns out that some people were looking for a reason to challenge the organizers who won the right to host the World Cup Qatar 2022. He pointed out that the situation was sad before the beginning of the tournament, but after that football defeated politics, and the world witnessed the most football performance and the most dramatic and amazing end in the history of the football world cup tournaments, during the final match between Argentina and France. No one remembers anything more wonderful than what happened before this World Cup. "Thank you, Qatar, for this wonderful tournament," he concluded. Russia's Gornovosti's correspondent said that they spent a wonderful month with football during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and this wonderful football feast culminated in the victory of the Argentine national team over its French counterpart in the final match, which is the best football final in the history of the FIFA World Cup tournaments. The British newspaper "The Independent" mentioned in a report entitled "Giving Messi the traditional costume to lift the World Cup is an honorary gesture by Qatar," that Argentine captain Lionel Messi wore the Qatari "Bisht" while lifting the World Cup in an honorary gesture by Qatar, explaining that HH the Amir of Qatar put the "Bisht" on Messi before joining his teammates to celebrate their victory over France. It noted that some viewers and media professionals who are not familiar with the meaning and importance of this outfit were confused when seeing this scene, however, Dr. Mustafa Baig, a professor of Islamic studies at the University of Exeter, explained that the Bisht is an official cloak worn by members of the royal family, dignitaries and grooms on the wedding day and graduates at graduation ceremonies. Baig added that a select few people, therefore, wear the Bisht, and placing it on Messi's shoulders a gesture of welcome and cultural acceptance of him, indicating that this gesture as an expression of embracing the local culture of Messi, considering it a beautiful gesture from Qatar as well as a smart idea on their part. Omani news paper Al Roya said that the World Cup in Qatar dazzled the world and that it competently overcame all challenges it faced, especially that this edition had its doubters and foes who relied on misinformation. The paper congratulated the government and people of Qatar for hosting a historic, unprecedented World Cup edition. It highlighted that this World Cup also knew no big or small teams, only rewarding those who put the effort during the match on the pitch. It also said that this edition was a true melting pot, with all fans regarding of nationality wearing Arab items of clothing, and then HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani put a bisht on Lionel Messi just before he lifted the World Cup. Its Omani counterpart Al Watan said that the World Cup saw all Arabs unite and support the participating Arab teams, and especially Morocco after their historic achievement that saw them finish fourth. They praised Qatar for achieving the impossible and organizing a World Cup that gained the plaudits of all. The paper added that the World Cup final celebrations were even greater because they coincided with Qatar National Day. Sudan's Akhbar El Youm said that timing the final with Dec. 18 national day celebrations was a stroke of genius. The paper added that the Qatari edition was the most unique World Cup ever, thanks to the present Qatari culture and Islamic principles. In Jordan, Ammon news said that 2022 was the year of Arabs, thanks to Qatar's success in hosting a unique World Cup edition filled with surprises and twists and turns. The article added that Qatar's hosting of the World Cup increased the Arab people's sense of pride that they can accomplish anything. Dr. Abdulaziz Al Jarallah wrote in the Saudi newspaper Al Jazirah posing the question, how did Qatar accommodate the peoples of the World Cup? Al Jarallah said that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 put forth new proposals and created global trends that may lead to transformations towards the Gulf countries and the Arab world. These trends build a realistic (positive) mental image of the civilized Gulf societies and the Arab world. Those who came to Doha and had a first-hand World Cup experience realize these facts and saw a reality that was not reported by the media, although the media did convey a comprehensive and vivid reflection of Qatar’s civilizational standing, however, there remain small details that were picked up by only those who lived the experience. Al Jarallah added that Qatar punched above its weight and went beyond just the World Cup as a global football competition and its championship, to draw the world's attention to it, the Gulf, and the Arab world. Adding that Doha not only addressed sport fans and groups of tourists, but to all corners of the world, giving the most beautiful presentation of the Arabian Gulf, a region which according to some, consisted of a group of backwater desert countries on the outskirts of the Empty Quarter, buried under the sand with not much beside oil and gas, with a population of pastoral human groups and fishermen scattered in the cavities of the Arabian Peninsula. Al Jarallah contrasted this by saying that the Gulf states’ reality is very different. The Arabian Gulf has modern and advanced cities both in stone and in human capital, comparing the Gulf’s cities with Shanghai in China. Mahmoud Ali Rashid wrote in the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Anba saying under the title of thank you Qatar thank you Tamim Al Majd, that a dream has come true, a small country geographically, but a large one by all standards, managing to accommodate the entire world within itself, dazzling the world with its excellent hospitality and organization, gaining the World’s respect, proving that it is a unique country. He said that the State of Qatar has succeeded in terms of security, welcoming peoples from all over the world yet remaining safe and with a record of zero security incidents happening. Additionally, Rashid wrote that the State of Qatar impressed the world with the technological media coverage and the broadcasting of the event, as well as the diverse events accompanying the tournament, not to mention the smooth running of the matches, leaving everyone to testify that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is the best World Cup in history. Mahmoud Ali Rashid pointed out that the world discovered that the State of Qatar, like the Gulf countries, have lovely customs and traditions, including hospitality and morality. He added that Qatar stood its ground when it comes to respecting its state policies, making everyone abide by them, especially that customs and traditions are one of the most important duties a state has. In turn, Dr. Hind Al Shoumer also wrote in Al Anba Kuwaiti newspaper about the Qatar National Day saying that this year’s celebration is distinct from previous years, with this day having to be recorded in history for future generations to learn from, given that the success of the World Cup was one of the most prominent achievements of the State of Qatar despite the many bets against it. She added that Qatar has proven its ability to organize the largest sporting event in the world, praised by everyone, covered by all international media outlets, uniting the whole world and establishing peace among all, all under the umbrella of security and law of order, with no riots or violations of the Islamic faith during the tournament. For its part, the Omani newspaper "Oman" said in its editorial today, entitled do we do justice to ourselves in the Arab world? Saying that going beyond the discussion about the issues of the Arab mindset, due to it being a thorny and complicated matter, with this not being the right occasion to discuss this, when it comes to Arab states hosting and organizing international events, the State of Qatar’s hosting of one of the best editions of the World Cup, gives an idea of the error of the common perception and belief about the Arabs and their abilities. Rather, The State of Qatar showed during the last period that the Arabs are able to be creative and dazzle the world, in addition to demonstrating that Arab culture is able of containing other cultures, regardless of the extend of difference amongst them, and is capable of impressing the West with its details. Oman Newspaper added that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was marked by many Arab cultural features, with the world learning about Arab countries, their culture, and their people in the World Cup, much more than they already knew about them, which is one of the most important gains of hosting this tournament. The Omani newspaper said that following the State of Qatar’s success in organizing the World Cup, one of the largest events in the world, the most important matter that remains is whether the Arabs will continue to disbelieve in themselves and their abilities to organize global events, or will they finally do justice to themselves, their history and their mentality. Similarly, will the world continue to perceive the Arabs according to stereotype that are a residue of colonial media over the past centuries, or will the Western collective mind be able to see the Arabs for what they truly are. (QNA)