From World Cup Host to Olympic Hopeful: Qatar’s Quest for Sporting Greatness

The Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Nepal, Yousuf bin Muhammad Al-Hail, recently expressed his delight at the progress that Nepal has made towards development. Speaking about his experiences in Nepal, the Ambassador noted that he has witnessed significant infrastructure development since his initial days in the country.

In particular, he observed that there has been substantial progress in the construction of wide and good quality roads, as well as the establishment of numerous hotels and motels in various places across Nepal, beyond just the Kathmandu Valley. The Ambassador’s comments suggest that he is impressed with the progress Nepal has made in terms of infrastructure development and is optimistic about the country’s future prospects.

Yousuf bin Muhammad Al-Hail also expressed his appreciation for the fact that tourism has returned to the world, and Nepal has huge potential in this industry. He praised the country’s friendly climate, exciting adventure tourism, stunning natural beauty, unforgettable biodiversity, and multi-linguistic harmonious ethnic groups, unique social diversity, centuries-old historical avenues, and diverse cultural heritage.

During a recent interview, Al-Hail,  expressed his belief that Nepal has enormous potential in the tourism sector, and that its hospitality industry is becoming a bedrock for the country’s economy.

The Qatari envoy suggested that Nepal could make significant progress in the field of tourism by exploring more attractive packages and promoting its lucrative-based hospitality to attract international visitors. He also highlighted that Qatar is eager to assist in Nepal’s development activities, including education and social areas, through Qatar Foundation and Qatar Red Crescent.

The Qatari Ambassador also proposed the idea of building a diplomatic enclave in a specific area where all the ambassadors serving in Nepal could be housed together. He emphasized the importance of building embassy buildings that reflect the religion and socio-cultural values of each country, and suggested that if the Nepal government provides lease-based land for constructing the embassy building of Qatar in Kathmandu, Qatar would also secure a piece of land for Nepal’s embassy in Doha. The Qatari envoy pointed out that this concept has been successfully implemented in other countries, such as India.

Similarly, he shared shared insights on the benefits of hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022. He explained that after successfully hosting the World Cup in 2022, Qatar became widely known around the world.

He also mentioned that hosting the World Cup can lead to a significant economic boost, as the retail and hospitality sectors grow, resulting in an increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The ambassador emphasized that for Qataris, the World Cup is an opportunity to showcase their Islamic religion and state-of-art culture, displaying everything from their architecture to their hospitality as well as advancements in development aspects of their tiny Gulf country.

Additionally, the envoy noted that hosting the World Cup has become a source of considerable pride for citizens across the Gulf Arab states, expressing solidarity and boosting morale, social, and cultural aspects of Qatar for successfully hosting the biggest global event in the Middle East region.

Moreover, the ambassador highlighted that the World Cup festival will also be a real opportunity to interact at people-to-people level for all Gulf countries’ Muslim people, as the deep rift within the GCC has finally come to an end.

“Qatar hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup with remarkable success. Millions of visitors from around the world were influx to witness what the ambassador describes as the best ever tournament.

Qatar’s leadership made a resounding success of hosting the tournament, boosting the country’s economy and spreading its Islamic culture and heritage. As a peninsular country, Qatar has restricted access to alcohol, and during the World Cup, the government banned its sale entirely”, the ambassador said.

According to Qatar’s ambassador, the country’s well-planned measures ensured that the streets of Doha remained free from hooliganism and breaches of rules and regulations that had plagued previous World Cup events.

One of the standout features of Qatar’s World Cup was the absence of alcohol, as the Muslim nation restricted access to it. The ambassador noted that this made the event unique, with football fans and visitors enjoying a variety of seafood, meat dishes, and Qatari cuisine without needing alcohol. Spectators respected Qatar’s Islamic culture and religion, and the country has been praised globally for this.

In addition to showcasing its cultural values, Qatar’s infrastructure and development have multiplied since hosting the World Cup event, with state-of-the-art stadiums impressing visitors. The ambassador praised the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who set an example for others to follow in good planning, discipline, commitment, and top-notch execution.

Qatar’s success in hosting the World Cup has taught the world that visionary leadership and foresight are the keys to success, not the size of the country or its footballing pedigree. FIFA President Gianni Infantino praised Qatar for its thorough preparedness and excellent delivery, which was instrumental in making the event a great success.

As a global sports destination, Qatar aims to promote sports tourism and invest in the sporting legacy. The country is ready to host the 2030 Asian Games, having already hosted the Asian Games in 2006. In 2023, major sports events such as the Formula One Grand Prix, Expo 2023, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup will take place in Qatar, boosting the travel and tourism sector.

Qatar’s successful hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup has led the country to aim for another major sports event – the 2036 Olympics. The Qatari envoy announced that the country is bidding for the Olympics, proving that it can deliver another global event with responsibility.

Qatar’s focus on sports diplomacy has been evident in its efforts to use sports to achieve policy goals for social and cultural change, encouraging peace and equality. Sports diplomacy can transcend cultural differences and bring people together, promoting a positive image of the host country.

Situated in the Asian continent, Qatar boasts of a rich culture and diverse landscapes, ranging from beautiful beaches to the desert. It has positioned itself as a key destination in the region for travel, tourism, and sustainable culture.

Qatar’s move towards hosting the 2036 Olympics is a testament to the country’s vision, determination, and success in hosting global sporting events. It also highlights Qatar’s ambition to continue using sports diplomacy to achieve policy goals and bring positive change to the world.