COVER STORY qatartoday
England had their star player David Beckham; the Dutch and the Belgians had their football greats cycling to the FIFA HQ to submit the bid book; and the Japanese combined cutting-edge technology with traditional origami. Qatar, surprisingly, had no such heroics. Qatar 2022 Bid Committee led by the Chairman HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani presented Qatar’s bid book to FIFA President Joseph Blatter and FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke. The 20-chapter bid book however, promised to pack a punch, ready to deliver a ‘completely new World Cup’. By S i n d h u N a i r
“The submission of our bid book in Zurich is a historic moment for Qatar and its people. I am here not only on behalf of the Government of Qatar and all those involved in the game of football; I am here to represent the dream of each and every single boy and young girl of Qatar, to express and share with you the passion of our athletes and our fans who have supported our bid from the very beginning, to manifest the desire of every family in our region who has shared our ambitions and hopes to bring the World Cup to the Qatari people. A World Cup in Qatar will be a New World Cup, bringing people and different cultures together in the name of football. Our bid book sends a clear message: Qatar is ready,” said HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairman of the Qatar 2022 Bid Committee, after the submission. In its quest to be the first Middle Eastern country to host football’s greatest event, Qatar is putting the spotlight on its bold technical plan that comes with a sustainable angle. The technical plan is the state-ofthe-art air-cooling technologies and modular stadiums and the sustainable angle is sharing these technologies with the developing world. All of which is detailed in the book that was submitted on May 14 at FIFA headquarters. If chosen, Qatar 2022 will be the first carbon-neutral World Cup, utilising sustainable technologies and groundbreaking cooling systems for its 12 state-of-theart stadiums, fan zones and training grounds. Spectators, players and officials will be able to enjoy cool and comfortable open-air conditions not exceeding 27 degrees celsius.
In an exclusive interview to Qatar Today Hassan Abdulla Al Thawadi, CEO of the Qatar 2022 Bid Committee, highlighted The keypoints of the bid. He attempts to explain in a word what the bid process means to him personally. But he can’t pull it off – his passion demands more words.
“Overwhelming, exciting, a privilege to work with Sheikh Mohammed and the team here, stressful too at times, but a great experience...”
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Hassan Abdulla Al Thawadi CEO of the Qatar 2022 Bid
Football fever There is great fervour for football in the country, and that is one of the main reasons why the bid is so important, says Al Thawadi. “This will be a great historical moment for football fans in the entire region, to bring the biggest football tournament and one of the greatest sporting events of the world here. But there are nonsporting benefits that come from hosting this event in the Arab world. There is obviously the economic stimulus; the construction industry will be revived; diversification will be stepped-up and tourism will receive renewed impetus – significant investments in the tourism sector of around QR20 billion is expected – all this together will be a great catalyst to the development of the country.” Another factor that is being talked about is the environmentally friendly cooling technology, which is the first of its kind to be used in such a large space, and which will later pave way to more such innovations. “These technologies will kick-start a whole new area of research.” The importance of this event to the country and the region was expressed by HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani too recently, when he 28
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said, it wasn’t about the tiny Kingdom’s 1.5 million people, but about the wider Middle East and North African population. “I think the whole region stands to gain from this bid,” he said. “We’re talking about 400 million people in the Middle East and North Africa today and we’re extremely privileged to be representing them. I think everyone will gain, everybody will be able to celebrate in the region.” Geared to face the challenge But is the country ready to face a challenge as stupendous as a football World Cup? “Definitely,” says Al Thawadi, “But we have to remember that the event is being held 12 years from now. Anybody who has been in the country for the past five years has had a firsthand experience of the developments made in this time-frame. A lot can be achieved in 12 years and we have a plan in place. Major infrastructure projects, including the railways, will all be complete by then.” Qatar also has a good track record of of successfully hosting events. “The Asian Games held in 2006, the FIFA Congress in 2003, WTO meeting, the 1995 under-20 World Cup, football events that have been hosted quite successfully
The Bid Book
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“A Lasting Legacy”
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Competing Countries “If we go with the belief that England will win the Bid for hosting the 2018 World Cup, then none of the European countries would qualify for the 2022 Bid.
Then our competitors will only be Korea, Japan, USA and Australia.”
onald De Boer is a former Dutch midfielder who has played for the national team as well as a host of professional clubs in Europe. He played for both Al Rayyan and Al Shamal clubs in Qatar, but retired in 2008. He lives and works as a TV analyst in Qatar. “I believe this is a historic opportunity for the country where I played four years of my professional career and the rest of the world to unite in a peaceful and family-orientated celebration of football, and this is the message I will be bringing in my new role as an Ambassador for the Qatar 2022 bid over the coming 12 months.” He added: “From my experience playing at World Cup finals and other top events – and from my experience living in Qatar for more than five years. I believe Qatar has all the qualities to host a fantastic and unforgettable World Cup. De Boer believes that the country has outstanding sporting facilities needed to host the world’s greatest football tournament. “It also shows the exceptional hospitality of Qataris, because of which I’ve decided to stay on in Qatar even after my playing career finished,” he says. De Boer speaks of the football fever in the region, “It truly is an extraordinary experience to see the younger generation of the people of Qatar out supporting the whole bid throughout its process, on social networks such as Facebook which has already over 125,000 supporters; because you realise that this is not just about bringing a football tournament to the country. It is primarily a bid that will energise and inspire the people of Qatar and the entire region in ways we never thought possible, and one that will have a lasting legacy beyond what any other bid can offer.”
The Bid Book comprised a 750-page bid book with seven additional binders of 2,000 pages of supplementary documents. The entire dossier, weighing more than 20 kgs, covers critical issues concerning accommodation, transport, security, environment and stadium infrastructure,backed by required government guarantees and agreements.
Qatar 2022 Bid Committee Chairman HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin halifa Al Thani presentS Qatar’s bid book to FIFA President Joseph S Blatter and FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke
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here all go to show that we have the capability to host major events.” How then will a country with such a small population hope to fill the stadiums? “The game itself has its allure and people will gravitate towards the games. If you are a football fan and you are anywhere near, you will find yourself making your way to the World Cup. The Games will market itself,” he says confidently with the passion for the sport writ large on his face. He says that he expects at least 700,000 visitors from abroad for the event. “The central geographical location of the country, the fact that Qatar Airways flies to a large number of destinations, will all make Qatar an ideal place to come and watch the Games.” The Emir Cup and the Brazil–England show match held here illustrate the football fever that takes over the country. FIFA regulations will also be followed by making visa rules easier for tourists and football fans from around the world. “Climate in the desert in June and July, when the Games are normally held, is another factor that will hinder the Bid, but that is again nullified by the excellent cooling technology planned,” says Al Thawadi. (check box alongside for details) The infrastructure for the Games will be in line with the overall development of the country, which again will follow the National Vision 2030 of the country, says Al Thawadi. Understanding Qatar Qatar has garnered support from its Arab brethren, according to Al Thawadi, though a recent survey by Visa card revealed the ignorance of the average football fans of UAE on Qatar’s World Cup bid. The survey revealed that the UAE football fans were confident that the 30
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asir Abdulla Al Jamal, Technical Bid Book Project Director, talks about the challenges that he was faced with while designing the stadiums. “Other than the climate, which of course, was the biggest test, the FIFA requirements were by themselves quite stringent,” he says. “They had very specific requirements in design and it was a challenge meeting them. Each stadium had to accommodate from 40,000 to 80, 000 people. We also had decided that we would make use of the extra seats by giving it to developing countries after the event. So the design was to be in such a way that these could be dismantled without affecting the rest of the stadia space.” To ensure a lasting impression, Qatar 2022 have proposed that post-World Cup, many modular components of the stadiums no longer needed will be dismantled
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and shipped to other countries in order to promote football development. The design of the iconic stadium, where the opening and the closing ceremonies will be held, is still in design stage with a competition in place for the selection of the best architectural design. “Five international architects have submitted the design and the result will be announced soon. The design of the iconic stadium will reflect the culture of the country while having the latest technology to support the cooling system.” The design of the cooling technology was submitted by ARUP Consultants, a UK-based design firm. Designed by Albert Speer & Partner GmbH, the stadiums display striking and dramatic facades and incorporate state-of-the-art technology in an effort to stand out from the crowd bidding to host this popular tournament. Unveiled a month back in Dubai, designs for the five stadiums each
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boast a distinctive feature, be it a specially designed membrane to present current match footage, updates and tournament information, or an entrance linked to the Qatar-Bahrain Friendship Bridge, which is set to be the longest free-standing bridge in the world. “Each one of the stadium has either been inspired by a specific element of Qatari culture and tradition, or acts as a symbol of the world of the relationship that Qatar shares with the competing nations. The structures are set to exploit the extreme environment conditions in Qatar by channelling the sunlight to generate a large portion of the stadiums power using solar technology,” he says. AS&P have presented designs for five football stadiums located across Qatar, two of which are adaptations of existing buildings. The Al Rayyan Stadium is currently situated 20km northwest of Doha. This existing building will be adapted, surrounding it in a membrane-like
structure onto which match updates will be projected. Its current capacity it set to be doubled to 44,740 by incorporating additional modular components to. The second adaptation suggested by AS&P is for Al Gharafa, the capacity of which will also be doubled to 44,740 using a modular upper tier. According to Al Jamal, “There are ways in which the design will exemplify sustainable design: through sustainable energy infrastructure which delivers a zero-carbon project, targeting a high LEED rating, keeping in mind the fact that the building is to be used 12 years later, so the rating will be much higher than the present one. “The zero carbon energy infrastructure harnesses sufficient energy directly from the sun to provide lighting, heating and power to entirely offset the use of energy over a full 12-month period. To do this, solar energy on match days is captured during the day, converted to cooled air and then stored for use during the match.”
The Voting Process The 24 members of the FIFA Executive Committee decide who hosts the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup. In December 2008, FIFA confirmed simultaneous bidding for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World World Cups. This means that the host countries for both tournaments will be determined by the FIFA Executive Committee, when they meet in December 2010. The winning bid will be selected by an exhaustive ballot (i.e. each member of the FIFA Executive Committee will vote for a single country, the country with the fewest votes will be eliminated. Further rounds of voting will then occur until the vote is between two remaining countries and a final winner is selected).
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Ambassador Speak
“Share the passion” FIFA World Cup will be hosted by a Middle Eastern country in the next twenty years with 40 percent believing that this is definitely likely, and 50 percent viewing it as probable. The UAE was also voted to be the most likely Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup according to 74 percent of respondents; while just 15 percent thought that Qatar would play host in the future. It will take time for wider awareness on the bid, but for now, the leaders of the region are showing immense support, says Al Thawadi. “At every occasion, be it in Jeddah during the Arab Football Federation, or in Lebanon in front of the Arab Sports Ministers, we have received continuous support from the region,” he says. But there is one challenge that the country has to overcome, and that is getting people to understand the country. “There are a lot of ancillary benefits of hosting the Games. One of them is to introduce people to Qatar, show them what the country has achieved in a few years time, the value the Government places on education.” The Bid showcases the advantage and the achievements of the country. The history of a small pearl diving country that discovered its wealth, and under the guidance of good governance, used the wealth towards wholesome development. “The Bid process itself will be an advantage, for a lot of people to know this country. They will also understand when they come here that what is in the Bid Book is all achievable.” Security, says Al Thawadi, is not at all a concern in Qatar. “People who have been in the country know that this is one of the safest places to be. Security in the region is also quite high.” 32
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ansour Muftah is one of Qatar’s football legends, having scored the most goals in the Qatari league with Al Rayyan club for four seasons in the early 1980s. Muftah feels honoured to be given this role and is ecstatic about the game coming to his country. “When I was asked to be an Ambassador, I felt honoured to be given such a role. Having played for Al Rayyan Club for four seasons and knowing what the World Cup would bring to our football supporters in Qatar and the region, I will be thrilled if the Games come to the country. On Qatar’s chances of winning the Bid, he says, “All the bidding nations competing for 2022 have equal chances of hosting the event. I believe that our best strengths are the legacy that Qatar can offer to FIFA and the world, the technological breakthroughs that the country is planning to share with other nations, and the people of Qatar. There has never been a World Cup in the Middle East, even though the region has skyrocketed in its importance for international football. A World Cup in Qatar would expose hundreds of thousands of people to a brand new region.”
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All sectors covered The cost of tourist accommodation is quite high in the region in general and the country in particular. “The cost of accommodation in 5-star hotels is lower than the rest of the region. But during the world cup there will be package deals available. FIFA requirements stipulate that certain percentage of hotel accommodation be set apart for FIFA fans and members. The FIFA also stipulates ranges of costs for hotels, so all that will be taken into consideration.” “The lack of lower-priced hotels will
also be corrected with more 3-and 4-star hotels.” But Al Thawadi still feels that the rooms even in 3-star accommodations will be of much higher quality than what is available elsewhere. A tweeting team Social media is another tool that is being actively used to reach out to the people in delivering the message and acquiring their support. “We have a very young team with us, who are quite technology and media savvy, who will disseminate the message where everyone sees it. Twitter is another
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uardiola is a Spanish football manager and former player. He played as a defensive midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career with Barcelona, whom he currently manages. He has also spent two years playing for Qatar’s Al Ahli Club. Al Thawadi welcomed Guardiola as the Ambassador and said, “As the coach of FC Barcelona, he has won every title with a team based on Barcelona youth academy players, a philosophy we are most familiar with from his time helping youth development here in Qatar.” Guardiola says, he is pleased to be representing Qatar’s 2022 World Cup Bid. “I believe this is a truly unique bid, and a wonderful opportunity to spread the magic and the benefits of the world’s favourite game across the globe and to bring this major event to millions of Arabs for the first time ever.” Guardiola will be attending events to support Qatar’s
World Cup ambitions, as well as giving the Bid Committee leadership technical advice on staging the world’s biggest tournament. On the chances of the country winning the Bid, he says, “Qatar has hosted the 2006 Asian Games, as well as the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships. Qatar’s experience in hosting large international events means that our qualifications and capabilities are beyond question. Qatar is hosting the AFC Asian Cup in 2011, which is the most coveted prize in the largest football confederation in the world. Qatar wouldn’t have been awarded the rights to host this tournament if the AFC leadership wasn’t supremely confident of the country’s ability to handle the organisation process and to be able to host a successful event for all involved. Having played in Qatar between 2003 and 2005, ‘and having grown to love the country’ Guardiola greatly appreciates Qatar’s football development and infrastructure investment. “I have already witnessed the passion for this game here in Qatar and the region. My experience in Qatar, as well as the outstanding organisation and football passion we witnessed in the UAE during the Clubs World Cup, makes me confident that Qatar and the Middle East can host an amazing, passionate and unforgettable World Cup Finals. Expect Amazing!”
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“Together we can make history”
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ami Abdullah Al Jaber, a retired football striker from Saudi Arabia, and is his country’s second highest international goal scorer. “I am here to show the world the Middle Eastern passion for football. I will also want to show to the world that Qatar is capable to host an event that will inspire millions around the world and that will leave an everlasting legacy,” he says. Al Jaber believes that the Middle East deserves an opportunity to host the World Cup “While every bidding nation has a strong chance, I also believe that Qatar’s Bid is unique. With the World Cup being held this year for the first time in Africa, it is time for the Middle East to play host to a World Cup.” “Every time the World Cup is played ‘football fever’ sweeps the Gulf and the Middle East; you find flags of many different nations and Arabs wearing football shirts of competing nations. Should the World Cup be held in the Middle East, the passion will only intensify.”
area we have explored and are using to our maximum benefit. “On Facebook, we have over 125,000 fans – one of the highest registered; and over 1,500 followers on Twitter.” he says. Expect Amazing The commercials go with a tag line, Expect Amazing, and that, according to Al Thawadi was Sheikh Mohammed’s pick. “We had numerous choices and we were brainstorming for the right catch word that summarises what we intend to do. And this, according to Sheikh Maohammed kind of encapsulates what we have in mind. Qatar has been in the forefront, pioneering education, research, technologies, investment; even sports infrastructure and what we will be doing for the Games will be much more...” JUNE 2010
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