SSHOWJUMPINGHOWJUMPING | Page 7 FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 4 World’s best Klopp celebrates riders gear ‘special’ Reds up for CHI aft er victory Al Shaqab over West Ham Wednesday, February 26, 2020 CRICKET Rajab 2, 1441 AH Jamieson promises GULF TIMES plenty more aft er dream debut SPORT Page 5 1,000 DAYS TO GO FOR QATAR 2022 Qatar’s plans are falling into place, says FIFA World Cup CEO Nasser al-Khater With just 1,000 days to go for the first-ever World Cup in the Arab world, excitement is building up. CEO of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC, Nasser al-Khater, speaks about the progress the country has made in its preparations for the mega event Q: The Arabian Gulf Cup and sending team members ever FIFA Club World Cup were re- since 2012, the Euros that hap- ‘One thing we want to cently held in Qatar – how im- pened in Poland and Ukraine, make sure is to make portant were these events when it we’ve sent people to the Euros in our fan zones bigger comes to preparing for 2022? 2016, World Cup 2014 in Brazil, for the next events. A: Every football event that we World Cup 2018 in Russia — in host and organise is an important fact we’ve sent over 180 people to We’re going to have a milestone for us to practice, test the World Cup in Russia — which lot of FIFA Fan Fests our plans and that’s not diff erent was a great learning experience during the World for the Arabian Gulf Cup and the for many people that have been FIFA Club World Cup that were able to apply their skills here. So Cup in 2022, we’re played at the end of 2019. They this coming summer 2020, we’ve going to have a lot of were two very invaluable test got the Olympics in Tokyo, we’ve fan activation areas events for us, they were played got Copa America in Argentina back to back, so that was 23 days and Colombia, we’ve also got the in 2022’ of football — which is only fi ve Euros, so we will be sending a big days less than the FIFA World contingent of people to all these handle predominantly by the JV Cup in 2022. We were able to test events to make sure we also capi- that has been set-up between us a lot of the plans that were put talise on all the previous experi- and FIFA. And we believe that it down on paper, all of the opera- ence that we’ve gained. And as is the best model going forward tional plans — whether they’re it has shown us in the past, what for preparations for the World within the venue, outside of the people gain and what they learn Cup in 2022. venue, we were able to test our in these events is something that transportation plans, working will really benefi t us going for- Q: How does it feel for you to be together hand in hand with the ward. 1,000 days away from kick-off ? security. And the lessons learned A: For me, I’ve been on this for us were just immense. Q: It’s been a year since FIFA project for over 10 years now. and the host country started I started in May of 2009 — we Q: What were the main lessons working together as a joint ven- were still in the bidding stages, learned from the Gulf Cup and ture towards 2022 – how has that then we won the bid in December Club World Cup in terms of secu- helped with tournament prepara- of 2010. And I remember feel- rity and fan experience? tion? ing that there is still 12 years to A: Well, luckily, we had a lot of A: I believe that the best go, and to know that we’re 1,000 fans that attended both events, preparation for people work- days to go — there’s a certain we had around 50,000 fans travel ing well together is during the excitement, certain anxiety, we from abroad for the FIFA Club tournaments, and we could see see the plans coming into place. World Cup, we were able to test that slowly we’ve been integrat- We’re very proud of where we’ve our fi rst Fan Zone. There were next events. We’re going to have to getting to these fan activation body, security is very important Copa America, Euro 2020 and ing with members of FIFA. We come in terms of infrastructure. a lot of questions being asked a lot of FIFA Fan Fests during the areas, is it easy? And one thing to make sure everything is safe Tokyo Olympics – how important started off in the Arabian Gulf In terms of stadiums we’re on about the success of fan zones, World Cup in 2022, we’re go- we need to make sure is that and secure for the fans, they need is it for Qatar to continue to learn Cup, furthermore, we cemented track on all of that. But, when it we learned a lot from the Fan ing to have a lot of fan activation they are very accessible to them. to be fully integrated within our from major events like these? that at the FIFA Club World Cup. comes to getting closer and clos- Zone that we put in place. One areas in 2022. So it’s very impor- Working hand in hand with se- operational plans. And it worked A: In terms of gaining expe- And going forward, any major er to the World Cup, its mixed thing we want to make sure is to tant for us to gauge fans — their curity, we don’t see that there is a very well in the past two events. rience from other major events event that happens here in Qatar, emotions — it’s a bag of mixed make our fan zones bigger for the experiences, the transportation diff erence, we’re one organising Q: This summer we have the around the world, we’ve been the football tournament will be emotions. (SC) FLASHBACK...Fans in Qatar celebrating after the country won the FIFA 2022 World Cup bid in 2010. At right, the Qatar team celebrate after winning the Asian Cup last year, beating Japan in the final. Many of the players from the team are expected to represent Qatar in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, February 26, 2020 FOOTBALL 1,000 DAYS TO GO FOR QATAR 2022 INTERVIEW/ COLIN SMITH Fans will have a unique experience in Qatar, says FIFA events chief Smith ‘Those of you who know the Middle East, it’s an exciting mix and blend of modern, contemporary but also the traditions and history and Qatar is no exception to that, there’s a very exciting melting pot of diff erent nationalities’ Q: Where does Qatar stand with year, with all our sponsors and part- 1,000 days to go to the FIFA World Cup? ners. And there was the fi rst broad- Q: What do you think fans will be A: All the stadiums will be fi nished caster workshop earlier this year. So most excited about when they touch well in time before the event and this again this allows us to learn from our down in Qatar in 2022? gives us a unique opportunity to test key stakeholders; what do they need? A: Those of you who know the Mid- the stadiums operationally and to use What makes a successful tournament dle East, it’s an exciting mix and blend them much more ahead of time than for them? And that then helps us, to- of modern, contemporary but also the we’ve had the opportunity in the past. gether with the Joint Venture in Qatar, traditions and history and Qatar is no From the infrastructure perspective, deliver according to their expectations. exception to that, there’s a very excit- Qatar has been working now for years ing melting pot of diff erent nationali- preparing for the World Cup so they’ve Q: What did FIFA learn from Qatar’s ties. So fans are going to have a unique brought forward key infrastructure hosting of the FIFA Club World Cup event experience. I mean, the com- projects; metros, road networks, and 2019? What do you want to improve pact nature, having all the stadiums the progress is impressive. So all in for this year’s edition and for the FIFA so close together, fans can visit multi- all we’re very confi dent, we’re work- World Cup? ple matches and many more matches ing very closely with Qatar on the A: It’s always good to have test than they would under a traditional delivery, we’re integrating the diff er- events, no matter how small they are, World Cup. So I think it’s the blend ent planning of host country opera- and obviously the FIFA Club World of hospitality that they will receive as tions and our match operations and Cup, in its current format, is a much soon as they set foot in the country, we’re very confi dent that we’ll deliver smaller event than the FIFA World the compact nature allowing them to a successful World Cup in a thousand Cup. But nevertheless it gives a great see multiple matches and also the cul- days. opportunity for us to work in new sta- tural activities that will go on around diums; we used Khalifa Stadium.