Qatar the Host of Legacy

In 2010, Qatar shocked the world when it won the right to host the World’s greatest sporting event. In contrast, the financial capability of Qatar was never in question. The main concern was the heat. Qatar has a very demanding climate, especially for the players. But the nation took it on as their biggest task to prove their detractors wrong, opting to host the sports event in the winter. And in so doing, the tournament turned out to be a meeting point of innovation and sustainability. Yet, the main question remains – a question floating in everyone’s mind – why is Qatar hosting the world cup controversial? Or is it really as controversial as it’s being portrayed?

Qatar Making History

Cooling technology has turned out to be one of the biggest success stories of the competition. The ground-breaking air conditioning system was initially displayed at the opening of Khalifa International Stadium in 2017 and has subsequently been modified to help six other venues for competitions and other facilities.

The Tournament is taking place in the winter season, the cooling systems aren’t needed for the outside area as much. the key is to keep the stadiums cooled, using the technology explained below, it all became possible. Innovative, sustainable cooling systems, easily disposable without any damage to the planet.

Innovating Air Conditioning

Qatar had a challenge ahead of it. How can they prepare and cool the stadiums to be optimal for players and fans? The answer was in the hands of one man, Dr.Cool. Doctor Saud Ghani, nicknamed Dr.Cool, is the head of the Qatar National Research Fund(QRNF). He dissected all the options and came up with a decisive plan. With one goal in mind, make the stadiums as cool as possible without damaging the planet any further.

Moreover, the plan was to create and maintain a microclimate bubble inside the stadium, making it much harder. His group got to work by printing scale models of the potential World Cup stadiums in 3D. After printing, the 3D-printed stadium models were tested for aerodynamics in a wind tunnel to determine how their shape and size interacted with the wind and how the nation could improve it. The process towards cooler stadiums was going to take a lot of work, but with the core intention is protecting the planet, it was well worth it.

Finally, the technology is used in 7 out of the eight stadiums. Stadium 974 is situated ideally next to the sea, needing little to no cooling. The technology of ensuring perfect airflow cooled within aerodynamic techniques is a marvel to behold. A sustainable way to respond to the main worry of many when they knew Qatar would be hosting the Tournement. Qatar answered perfectly, as many expected, without racking up damage to the atmosphere.

The 974 Stadium

Stadium 974 is a fully dismantlable venue, built specifically for the 2022 WorldCup. It is named after the 974 shipping containers used to create it. These containers are on the venue’s facade and sprinkled around the interior. And as a bonus, Qatar’s dialing code is 974. The venue is a state-of-the-art achievement. Qatar chose to go with the reusable option not to overcrowd the nation.

Furthermore, the stadium is set to be dismantled after the tournement ends. Making it a colossal sustainability statement. The materials are recycled, and the whole stadium is reusable. Qatar is choosing to donate all the materials to nations building their sports infrastructure around the globe. Qatar will distribute thousands of seats and essential building materials to elevate sports everywhere. Making this more than just a stadium, more than just sports. It is pure innovation.

A Counter-Intuitive Breakthrough

The same argument used against the nation motivated Qatar to highlight its strengths. One of these strengths was what everyone deemed as an obstacle. Qatar is a small country. Many pointed their fingers at it being too small to handle a meeting point of the world. Yet Qatar knew how to show the world its brilliance. In previous World Cup editions, giant nations hosted the global event. In South Africa, for instance, going from one stadium to another was a daunting experience. The best option for fans was to use planes, leaving the atmosphere damaged and paying for it.

On the other hand, in Qatar, you can get from a stadium to the farthest next in a maximum of one hour. By metro, running the latest sustainable technologies to operate. The experience could be better for the fans since it allows them to watch multiple games in one day. But it is excellent for the environment since it will be less demanding. Qatar turned the tables in the most interesting ways to show that it was ready to present the world with the best world cup experience.

Concluding Thoughts

To answer the question, “why is Qatar hosting the world cup controversial?”, well as we all know, Qatar does not need the financial gain from hosting a global focal meeting point. When the decision was made, it wasn’t the country’s financial status that was in doubt. So, unlike many other countries, Qatar is in it for the legacy. The first Arab nation to host a world cup and highlight a vision of innovation, sustainability, and global thought leadership.

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