DUBAI // The torrent of negative stories surrounding Qatar following its successful bid for the 2022 Fifa World Cup will not influence the country’s willingness to host international mega events, said Tariq Al Abdullah of the Qatar Olympic Committee.
Qatar has come in for intense scrutiny since being awarded the football showpiece four years ago. Corruption claims and alleged abuse of migrant workers have been inescapable in recent months, with human rights watch condemning last week’s decision by the IAAF to award the 2019 World Athletics Championships to Doha.
Qatar continues to push forward with plans to become a sporting capital.
Al Abdullah, who is head of technical affairs for his country’s Olympic committee, said such negativity is part and parcel of hosting mega events. “People will always talk whether you host the World Cup, the Olympics, a small event or nothing at all – this is the way of the world,” he said at the two-day Host Cities summit in Dubai. “This kind of thing has never affected us and it never will.”
Qatar have twice bid for the Olympic Games in 2016 and 2020, but whether the country bids to emulate Brazil and host the World Cup and Olympics back to back in the space of two years remains to be seen. Rio de Janeiro will welcome the Games in 2016 having held the World Cup this past summer.
“Whether we will bid for 2024, I’m not yet sure,” Al Abdullah said. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
One thing Al Abdullah was certain of is the UAE’s involvement in next year’s World Handball Championships in Doha.
This month, the Emirates joined Bahrain in withdrawing from the January event. However, last week both nations informed the International Handball Federation they wished to compete again.
“There was a misunderstanding in the relations,” Al Abdullah said. “Now people are getting closer together. They apologised and decided to rejoin and will take part.”
The tournament takes place between January 15 and February 1.
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
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