QatarTribune Qatar_Tribune QatarTribuneChannel qatar_tribune Hertha Berlin sign World Cup winner Khedira; Bayern loan out pair TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 PAGE 14 Qatar World Cup will see packed stadiums: FIFA chief Infantino AGENCIES/FIFA GENEVA FIFA & WHO launch public THE FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be played at packed awareness campaign ahead of stadiums, football governing body FIFA President Gianni FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020 Infantino said on Monday. “We’re going back to where we need to be,” stressed Infan- tino while speaking at a virtual meeting from Geneva. “Next year, the Qatar 2022 world championship will have an audience, we hope that the COVID pandemic will be a thing of the past and we will all be able to see it in person. “I’m really, really confi- dent. We will enjoy the same magic that unites the whole world,” he said. FIFA has teamed up with the World Health Organiza- tion (WHO) to promote the need for fair access to COV- ID-19 vaccines, treatments and diagnostics, and to en- courage people to keep prac- ticing life-saving, everyday public health measures to pre- Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General (left), and football governing body FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the virtual news conference from Geneva on Monday to launch vent the spread of the corona- the FIFA and WHO #ACTogether campaign for global access to vaccines, treatments and diagnostics in the fight against new coronavirus (COVID-19). virus and to protect health. The FIFA President con- professionals will we be able tinued: “We have been work- Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director- to eliminate the threat posed ing with the WHO since last General, thanked FIFA and the players for helping by COVID-19, and I call upon Health is a priority, when we year on a protocol for the re- raise awareness on life saving interventions that everyone to follow these steps turn to football. play football what we want in their daily lives. This advice “Health is a priority, when is to protect the health of all people can follow, and of the importance of not only protects you, but also we play football what we want everyone, the footballers, intensified global support for the ACT Accelerator protects your loved ones and is to protect the health of eve- the referees, the coaches, to ramp up development and equitable allocation those around you. In deliver- ryone, the footballers, the ref- of vaccines, treatments and tests. ing these messages during the erees, the coaches, the public. the public. And whatever we FIFA Club World Cup, I ap- And whatever we do, we will do, we will do it following preciate the support given by do it following health protocols health protocols that do not munity to #ACTogether to treatments and tests to reduce the participating teams and that do not put anyone at risk. put anyone at risk. ensure a level playing field in severe disease and deaths their players, coaching staff “Of course, we must find a relation to access to vaccines, caused by the coronavirus and other officials in respect- balance, but we must respect FIFA President Gianni Infantino treatments and diagnostic pandemic. ing the protocols that need to the laws and regulations of the tests across the globe,” Infan- “Fairness is the founda- against COVID-19. But our motional videos being broad- be followed in order to play countries,” he said. WHO are launching a public tino said during the video con- tion of football and all other goal now is to ensure equitable cast during the FIFA Club this tournament, and to en- “We already have the awareness campaign involv- ference prior to the kick-off of sports, and this also must be access and continued refine- World Cup. In the videos, sure that we keep the football protocol and we are going ing star footballers, through TV the FIFA Club World Cup. the same when it comes to ment of these tools.” competing club captains reit- flame flickering brightly dur- to monitor the situation in and in-stadium messaging, to Dr. Tedros Adhanom health,” said Dr. Tedros Adha- Dr. Tedros added: “WHO erate the key steps for every- ing these challenging times.” the coming weeks, the situa- further promote the Access to Ghebreyesus, WHO Director- nom Ghebreyesus. is grateful to FIFA for team- one to follow in order to tackle The video awareness cam- tion is evolving, international COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Acceler- General, thanked FIFA and “The rules of the COVID-19 ing up with health partners and defeat the coronavirus paign will feature players matches are going to be held ator initiative launched in April the players for helping raise challenge are simple: all peo- around the world to promote by focusing on hands, elbow, and head coaches from the from March, but it is clear that 2020, and to urge people to awareness on life saving in- ple at risk from the coronavi- the need for the fair distribu- face, distance, symptoms, competing teams at the FIFA we will not endanger anyone’s practice mask wearing, physical terventions that all people can rus in all countries must have tion of the tools needed to de- masks and opening windows. Club World Cup Qatar 2020 health,” he concluded. distancing and hand hygiene. follow, and of the importance equitable access to life-saving feat the coronavirus.” “It is important that we together with FIFA Legends, In conjunction with the “We all have to play our of intensified global support vaccines, treatments and di- The new FIFA-WHO col- do not forget that health and will be published on vari- FIFA Club World Cup 2020, part in the battle against the for the ACT Accelerator to agnostics. In just nine months, laboration will amplify life- comes first,” said the FIFA ous FIFA, WHO and club digi- being held in Qatar from 4 to coronavirus. We are also call- ramp up development and eq- the world has established these saving messages to a global President. “Only by follow- tal channels, with the support 11 February 2021, FIFA and ing on the international com- uitable allocation of vaccines, three powerful lines of defence audience with a series of pro- ing the advice of our medical of broadcasters worldwide. We will play to honour our country and Al Duhail: Almoez TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK DOHA AL Duhail’s start player Al- moez Ali is confident of the Qatar club’s chances against Al Ahly ahead of their FIFA Club World Cup 2020 match to be played at at the Educa- tion Stadium on Thursday. The Qatari champions received a bye into the sec- ond round their scheduled first-round opponents, New Zealand side Auckland City, pulled out of the tournament due to the nation’s coronavi- rus restrictions. That does not mean to say, however, Duhail will have it easy in their bid to go far in the competition. Their first oppo- nents will be reigning African Al Duhail’s star striker Almoez Ali (2nd left), and the team members during training sessions ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020. Al Duhail play Al Ahly at the Education City Stadium on Thursday. champions Al Ahly, a team with considerable Club World to play,” the Qatari forward the league. found a big support from all tion in the Club World Cup as Cup experience, having made said. “We will face a quality Al Almoez admitted though the Qatari fans. a ‘big honour’. five previous appearances in Ahly team, which will make us that Duhail have to play their “Now we are participating “Our participation in this the competition. prepare in the perfect way. We best football in recent times and we hope to get the same championship is an honour for But Almoez said the team will play to honour our coun- at the FIFA Club World Cup. support from Qatar football us and it is representing Qatar was excited to play in such try and Al Duhail,” he added. “Our first appearance in this fans, because we are not just and it is one of the club’s ambi- a high profile tournament The Red Knights experi- championship has motivated representing our team but we tions,” he said. held at home and has set his enced a dip in results and per- us to give our best. are representing Qatar. We “The team is going in the sights on a meeting with Ger- formance this season, prompt- “We will have to prepare are waiting for the fans’ sup- right direction. We have been man giants Bayern Munich in ing the club’s management to better than recent times, be- port and their presence in the unlucky in recent matches but the semi-finals. “The team is appoint Sabri Lamouchi as cause the level of all the par- stadium will motivate us,” he that does not mean that the ready for this competition and head coach back in October. ticipating clubs will be high. noted. team will not give its best. We it is the first time for the club The Frenchman has bought We have to be at the same level victory and reaching the semi- Qatar to rally behind them. Meanwhile, Duhail’s for- are coming after a short break and most of the players and some consistency in the team’s as the, Against Al Ahly we will finals,” the 23-year-old said. “In the previous edition ward Ismail Mohamed de- and are refreshed, so the team certainly everyone is excited results as they are second in surprise our fans by achieving Almoez urged the fans in Al Sadd club participated and scribed the team’s participa- is confident,” Mohamed said.