Director of Communication at the Local Organizing Committee for the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup, Fatima al-Nuaimi, has termed the organisational success of the tournament during the Covid-19 pandemic as an extremely beneficial experience and an exceptional opportunity to develop expertise as the World Cup 2022 draws closer.
In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), al-Nuaimi said that the FIFA Club World Cup is a pilot tournament for the State of Qatar, and its main objective is to improve the preparations and various operational plans before hosting the first edition of the World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world. This year’s edition tested two new World Cup stadiums — Ahmad Bin Ali and Education City.
She said they continue to work closely with all the partners to achieve success and provide a wonderful experience to the fans, players and administrators during the tournament.
Al-Nuaimi, the Director of Communication Department at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, also confirmed that Qatar has achieved great success in its pivotal role in hosting a series of local, regional and international events during the year 2020 despite the Covid-19 pandemic, thus achieving the leadership position on the global sports map by establishing new standards in maintaining the health and safety of all participants.
Al-Nuaimi said statistics showed impressive achievements with AFC Champions League final being attended by 10,000 fans, after the distinguished organisation of His Highness The Amir Cup with the presence of 50 percent of the stadium’s capacity. She added that nearly 900 players and technical teams from 30 teams participated in the AFC Champions League competitions alone, and 76 matches were played at a number of World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums in a medical bubble.
Qatar is preparing — after less than two years — to host the World Cup 2022. It aims to test the readiness of the various stadiums and facilities of the tournament by hosting a number of major sporting events and to enhance the provision of a distinctive experience for fans and visitors to Qatar during the World Cup.
She stressed that organising the tournament during a pandemic allowed them to gain more experience, as the organisers tested their abilities to deal with such situations and emergency matters in the future.
She said that Qatar is the only country that recently hosted continental and global sporting events, with large participation in light of the current crisis, after implementing health procedures and measures in co-ordination with the Ministry of Health.
Al-Nuaimi pointed out that despite a slowdown in the preparations of World Cup 22 workflow early on, a mechanism was created in co-ordination with the Ministry of Public Health and the Workers’ Welfare team in the Supreme Committee, to ensure the safety of workers and that work is completed within the planned timetable for projects.
She noted the distinctive role that sport can play in mitigating the psychological effects of the outbreak of the pandemic, which guarantees the improvement of public health, the preservation of society and its safety, as well as ensuring a bright future for future generations.
She added that the impact of sport in bringing together people from all over the world and sympathising and understanding each other is great, and that the World Cup in Qatar will highlight that Qatar and the Arabs love football, give visitors an opportunity to explore a new culture, and correct misconceptions about the region.
She added that the Qatar World Cup is becoming more important by each passing day in view of the various challenges and the current crisis, as it will be one of the largest global gatherings in the post-coronavirus world.
Fatima al-Nuaimi
