Khalid Tawalbeh
Doha
Two weeks have passed since the start of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and country still offers a bagful of pleasant surprises to visitors. Every day there are a lot of events including art and culture shows and exhibitions, which add up with other things to make Qatar the best ever place for the World Cup.
Observers from across the world said what they saw in Qatar during this major event was not strange for a country that has followed an ambitious path with optimal planning and high level of organisation.
Visitors to the country have stressed Doha’s success in gaining everyone’s trust, as the positive echoes of the dazzling championship opening ceremony continues to be a topic of discussion worldwide.
Fan and media people from different nationalities have praised the high quality organisation of the championship so far, as well as the superb stadiums and infrastructure in Qatar.
That is not the only bright side in this championship. In fact,all aspects of life in the country, especially security, social peace and coexistence are equally striking, they said.
Qatar Tribune talked to many fans and observers, both international and Arab, to find out their thoughts and impressions about the organisation of the tournament, the first such event to be held in an Arab country or the Middle East as a whole. Not surprisingly, all of them called FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 the ‘best ever’.
They praised the level of security and safety enjoyed by everyone during the tournament. They also praised the public transport network including the Doha Metro for smoothly transporting fans to and from the match venues.
They spoke of the warnings sounded before their arrival in Doha – warnings about the possible troubles they might face – all of which were eventually proven false by their personal experience. They realised soon enough that the main aim of these warnings was to ruin the reputation of Qatar and the region. They had nothing to do with reality, they said.
The World Cup has been able to change the idea of the West about Arabs and Muslims, and proved to the people that the campaigns are all fabrications and lies, they asserted
Coming from different countries, they stressed that life in Qatar is completely safe and similar to life in their own countries. Even at the level of regulations and laws, there is not much difference. All people can live happily in Qatar as long as they like, and in perfect security and safety, governed by laws, enjoying the great urban renaissance and modern technological facilities and comforts available in the country, they opined.
Dr. George Haddad, a French-Lebanese media man, expressed pride at what Qatar has achieved so far during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, both in terms of preparations and organisation, as well as the excellent reception accorded to fans and visitors from different countries.
He said: “I will stay in Qatar until the 15th of December, and attend as many matches as I can. The short distance between stadiums makes it possible to attend more than one match in day and the enthusiastic atmosphere is like the proverbial icing on the cake.”
He continued: “In fact, I have been to Doha before as a media person, and feel honoured to be covering the World Cup this time.” He was all praise for the way the tournament is being organised and how all the needs of the fans have been anticipated and provided for. “Right from the time of arrival at their place of residence, to the transport to match venues, to the facilities at the stadiums, the arrangements are top notch,” he said.
Abdullah Abu Saifan expressed his happiness to be in Qatar, he said: “I gained a great experience by attending the Qatar 2022 World Cup, which is a tournament that every person would dream of attending, indeed I didn’t do a lot of walking around, I was happy to be in the fan zones during a big tournament like the World Cup.”
He added: “Qatar has raised the bar for organisers and presented a wonderful image to the Arab world and Islamic countries. I am very happy to be in the edition, which was characterised by advanced sports and infrastructure facilities. It is the best edition in the history of the World Cup”.
Diego Edwin, an Ecuadorian engineer said: “Yes, I am sad about Ecuador’s exit from the group stage, but I loved being here. I will spend another week in Qatar and hope to find time to visit all tourist and heritage attractions of Qatar. I have so far enjoyed the atmosphere at Souq Waqif, the city of Msheireb and the Corniche,” he said.
“The Corniche here is more than wonderful and includes dozens of places tourist and heritage spots to visit and enjoy. There is a huge difference between rumours about Qatar before the tournament, and what I have personally experienced in Doha”.
Hamed Al-Bazzi, a Libyan visitor, expressed his happiness at attending the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 for the first time, and enjoying the festive atmosphere in the country. He described his 6-day stay here as the best days of his life.
“The experience of Qatar is ideal. The proximity of the stadiums and the fact that fans from all over the world can interact, made it the best experience for all fans. And both things were possible because all matches are taking place in one city”, he said.
Chiharu Aoki, a Japanese chef who works in Doha, pointed out that everything is well organised and the fans are not facing a single problem in moving, in accommodation or attending matches at stadiums. “The spirit of coexistence is remarkable and everyone expresses love for his country in an atmosphere that is the first I have ever experienced in my life”. Sports journalist Ahmed Shawabkeh said that he found a huge gap between the negative image created by the Western media, and the ground reality here. “The Western media owes an apology to Qatar, which I consider one of the most beautiful countries to visit. I could not have imagined such flawless organisation,” he said.
