There has been negative portrayal of Qatar in some sections of the Western media before and during the World Cup, which have been based on prejudices and biases. The critics have been proved wrong as football fans found the host country a welcoming place, and they are all praise for the compact nature of the tournament, accessibility for people with disabilities and safety and security of all and many other features for comfort and ease of fans and visitors.
The compact nature of the tournament has transformed the fan experience, compared with previous tournaments. Many fans have reported how this World Cup has felt safe, compared with their visits to other big cities for football events. Away from the football, visitors have been able to enjoy some of Qatar’s tourist attractions, museums and other fun activities free of charges.
Some fans termed the environment in Qatar as family friendly and a good place to bring kids, while some fans said they felt safe everywhere.
A report by British newspaper The Times quoted a group of female fans who accompanied their country’s team to Doha to support the Three Lions saying that they were not harassed, describing the Qatar World Cup stadiums as more suitable for women to watch matches than those in their own country.
Molloson, 19, who is leading a campaign named ‘Her Game Too’ in the UK to make the stadiums more welcoming to women, said before she came to Qatar to support her country’s national team, she had asked her father to accompany her to Doha. However, in a statement to the British newspaper, she said she did not need to disturb her father because the World Cup stadiums in Qatar are different than those in her country as there were no cynical chants or gender discrimination of any kind.
FIFA’s Head of Sustainability and Environment Federico Addiechi said: “Qatar 2022 is a standard bearer for other major sporting events when it comes to accessibility, going beyond basic infrastructure. This is about ensuring that every fan feels welcome and a part of this event, and we are proud of what we have achieved.”
There are sensory rooms for fans with access requirements at three World Cup stadiums: Al Bayt, Lusail and Education City. This edition of the FIFA World Cup has included the largest deployment of sensory rooms at a mega sporting event in history. A number of mobile sensory rooms have also been set up across Qatar to give fans the opportunity to step away from large crowds or loud music.
Qatar 2022 also features a number of firsts for people with disabilities, including the availability of audio descriptive commentary in Arabic at all matches.
