September 25 – Hassan Al Thawadi (pictured), the public face of the Qatar World Cup, has made his latest defence of the Gulf state’s credentials – again denouncing the “negative headlines” about its right to stage the 2022 event despite the fact that it will be the first hosts to have never previously qualified for the finals.
“No matter our creed, belief, nationality or economic status, sport touches on our passion and brings out the best of us as individuals and human beings,” Al-Thawadi, Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, told the Harnessing the Power of Sport to Achieve Sustainable Development exhibition in New York: “It breaks down barriers, creates friendships and enhances cultural understanding.
“When we bid to host the FIFA World Cup, we recognised the immense potential of bringing an event to the Middle East and the Arab world for the first time,” said Al Thawadi.
“We firmly believed that the time was right for our region to be given the opportunity to showcase itself to the world in a new light. It is an unfortunate reality that much of the world views our region through a lens clouded by conflict and negative headlines. Our vision is to transform that view.”
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