Futuristic vision in the conquest of sport

Let’s go back to the beginning. Conquering the world through sport is for Qatar one of the pillars in its national transformation, an objective established in the National Vision of Qatar 2030. The World Cup adds an important crown in its expansion in football culture. Qatar, if it does not have the sports infrastructure, creates it, and if it does not have an ideal geographical location with neighbors without conflict, then it looks for alliances to open the door to the 32 nationalities that will compete in its eight modern and well-connected stadiums to mobilize the 1.5 million fans.

_Qatar is located in a region of the world with a lot of geopolitical effervescence. Is it important to operate a security intelligence system to protect the World Cup from a complicated environment?

”Independently of the World Cup in Qatar, the country is one of the safest in the world thanks to an infrastructure that we have been developing for years. The safety of the fans is a priority for our government, and this is not because of a “complicated environment” as you say, but because in a World Cup we have a mixture of many nations and fans from all over the planet.”

_The 32 national teams converge in Qatar with their culture, beliefs, geopolitical interests. How to commune with so many different interests?

“Qatar is a country open to all the cultures of the world, we always welcome foreigners with open arms. In Qatar in a normal way (outside the world) almost 80% of the population is foreign and everyone lives in peace and tranquility. Imagine the experience of living in a country with a lot of diversity in cultures and nationalities”.

_Is Qatar the World Cup with the greatest number of technological tools and intelligence in national security and fan tracking?

“Yes, in Qatar we have used very advanced security systems and technologies. Our goal is to leave a legacy in the history of the World Cups and not only in terms of security, but also in the field of green energy and sustainability in the construction of stadiums and public infrastructure.

_Do you consider the World Cup as the great megaphone of Qatar and of Arab culture, after years of investment in the sports industry?

“The World Cup in Qatar is a challenge, it is definitely a project that has an impact on the plans of our society and government. In the National vision Qatar 2030 we seek to transform Qatar to be one of the best countries in the world. The World Cup is a project that will allow us to leave an important legacy to the Arab countries and the Middle East.

_Specialists and academics consider that the World Cup is an element of softpower to confront any criticism of Qatar. What do you think of the concept of ‘softpower’ and how do you define it?

“It is not one of our objectives to confront criticism. In any project that one does and even more when it is a project of a government of the magnitude of the World Cup, there will always be criticism, some constructive and other negative. In Qatar we only focus on our futuristic vision, preserving our identity and leaving a legacy for the world.”

_How much has Qatar invested from government funds in international sporting events in the last 10 years? Why is so much invested?

“I don’t have the exact data on the amount invested, really, but why? Sport is one of the important pillars in the life of our society, we have National Sports Day in Qatar which is the second Tuesday of February and on that day the whole country expresses its love for sport. This importance of sport deserves investments and organizations, just as Qatar invests in education, which is why we have the best universities in the world in a single city, the city of education”.

_ History has proven that investing in mega sporting events brings consequences such as economic crises. It happened to Brazil, Greece, South Africa. Will Qatar be a lesson in financial control?

“Qatar is a strong economy, our plan started years before 2022 and will continue to build a sustainable economy. It’s certainly a big challenge, but Qatar is doing it very well.”

_How does a soccer World Cup help in the construction of a national identity in a country where the vast majority are migrants?

“Look at everything related to the World Cup, the design of the stadiums, the official mascot, the name of the official ball, the colors of the World Cup. Everything brings our identity and with the World Cup platform. I am also sure that the tourists who are going to visit us will be the ones who will fall in love with our culture and will transport it to their countries, achieving great success in this exercise between cultures.”

_ Which Qatari institutions can leave a legacy for the world in the sports sector?

“Many, but in the first place there is “Aspire Academy”, a giant project that seeks to invest in human wealth by preparing professionals in all sports. From there came big names in Qatar and athletes who have participated in the Olympics and international tournaments. I can affirm that Aspire Academy is a model to follow in order to have a healthy and competent society in the sports field”.