Qatar promised to organise an event that will set the standards in organising World Handball Championships around the world in the future. 

The Organising Committee is putting the final touches on the Official Draw event, which is scheduled for 20 July, which will showcase its level of readiness to host the most successful tournament in the history of handball, an achievement that will prove that the IHF’s decision to give Qatar the hosting right was the right decision.

Dr Thani Abdulrahman al-Kuwari, Director General of the Qatar 2015 Organising Committee, tells us more about the latest preparations to host the event, including the Official Draw Ceremony. 

Q: What is the status of Qatar 2015’s hosting preparation for the 24th Men’s Handball World Championships? When will the state of the art flagship stadium be inaugurated?

Dr Thani: We are working closely with IHF on all aspect of the Championship preparations to create a unique memorable experience for all stakeholders: the athletes, the sport officials, the national and international federations, the media, the fans and the volunteers. Part of our operations plan is to have a series of test events, hence the Super Globe will take place during September 2014 when we will launch the Qatar Handball Association Complex to test all operations levels. The time frame for the construction of all venues has been planned to meet the Championship deadline, therefore soon all construction will be concluded in phases and the Handball world will have state-of-the-art venues at their disposal.

The existing know-how of building high end arenas has actually helped us in order to identify and design the construction methods that would speed up the whole process and taking into consideration the full support we receive from all involved governmental authorities, we managed to move on at this very fast pace and deliver the highest international standard.

The International Handball Federation delegates have visited the venues repeatedly and expressed their satisfaction for the infrastructure that is currently being built for the 2015 Men’s Handball World Championship.

Q: Have you secured the post-Championship use of each
venue?

Dr Thani: Sustainable development is one of the aspects we take into serious consideration. Therefore we made very careful studies on how we could use the existing infrastructure and align that with Qatar vision 2030. The three new arenas will be the key pillars in future biddings for various international sports events. However, after the Qatar 2015 Men’s Handball World Championship the venues will remain active to host various games. Please allow me to elaborate:

Lusail Multipurpose Hall, the largest of all new arenas, will be able to serve non-sporting purposes and events as well, such as concerts and other entertainment activities, while the whole area surrounding the venue is being developed in a way that will offer various leisure activities for the society.

Al Sadd Sports Hall will be handed over to Al Sadd club in order to cover the needs of its various sections with all the corresponding benefits this will have both for the club and the Al Sadd area. The field of play may be transformed within a very short time into a hockey rink, which follows the regulations and requirements of the International Ice Hockey Federation.

The Qatar Handball Association Complex Hall will be the new home of Qatari Handball. Apart from the state-of-the-art arena, it will also have a 60-room hotel, which will be able to host and cater to the needs not only of our national teams, but also visiting teams from abroad, giving a whole new perspective for the development of Handball in our country.

Q: How high are the expectations from the Qatar national team?

Dr Thani: Our national coach Valero Rivera is the best person to answer this question, but I believe that by deciding to give the keys to the 2013 World Champion coach and a legendary figure in international handball to lead our national team, our high expectations are pretty obvious. Building a strong and competitive national team is always a means to attract more fans and engage more people with the sport.

The objectives of the Qatar Team for the 2015 Men’s Handball World Championship: to be competitive and fight for the victory through fair dynamic play until the very last moments of each game and to finish in a better ranking from all past World Championships. Achieving both of those objectives will be something outstanding to show to the enthusiastic handball fans.

The plan though, goes much further than the 2015 World Championship and much higher than just having a leading team in a regional or a continental level. The team has shown its potential in recent events, such as with its first triumph at an Asian Championships in Bahrain, notably playing against the hosts in the final and the draw we managed against Europe’s silver winning team, Denmark, at a friendly match for the Golden League tournament in Paris. 

Q: One of the main concerns in every major sport event is the means to attract spectators to the arenas. Can you explain how the Organising Committee plans to succeed in that tricky field?

Dr Thani: Before the bid, Qatar had already organised major international handball events, such as the IHF Super Globe, the 2004 Asian Men’s Handball Championship, the 1999 IHF Men’s Junior Championship and the inaugural IHF Men’s Youth World Championship in 2005. All these competitions and long term plans helped handball become the second most popular sport in Qatar.

The core part of Handball enthusiasts is of course located in Europe but we should not forget the popularity the sport enjoys not only in our region, but generally in the Arab World. The National Teams from neighbouring countries Iran, UAE and Bahrain have already qualified, while Northern African teams, Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia will certainly be supported by large number of fans who live here in Qatar and Mena region.

Q: We have noticed advertising all around Doha about “The game of Fast”? What does this new motto really mean?

Dr Thani: Handball is one of the most exciting and fast-paced sports. It is tough, but by no means, brutal. Defences in handball may be hard-rock built, but players still comply with the sportsmanship rules and pay respect to fair play.

But what’s really fascinating in handball is the speed in attack and the interaction with the fans and this is the domain our newly introduced advertising campaign has been focused on.

The world will come together with a game where speed challenges the fastest and passion challenges the will to be the best. Here in Qatar is where fans will hold their breath for the game of fast and will follow the 24 participating teams’ ultimate quest: The Men’s Handball World Championship trophy!

We invite everyone to Live it - Win it - which is our new tagline that we believe will help building a brand positioning for handball around the world -, and Witness the Game of Fast this January in Qatar.

Q: Are there any other key advantages the Organising Committee may count on the operational side of the event?

Dr Thani: Apart from all the aforementioned assets, i.e. the state-of-the-art venues, Qatar’s huge experience in major sport events, the love of the sport and of course the Emir’s immense support, the concept of having all the action in one city means that teams will have no travel days. Rest days are pure rest days and players will be accommodated in the same hotel room from the start to the end.

Training venues and playing arenas are located around the official hotels, thus teams won’t have to face a long and tiring transportation system. The accommodation as always in Qatar will be of the highest level, as well as the logistics. Finally, the best possible medical service for all teams and players will be at their disposal, which is a factor of extreme importance for all competitors.

Q: What are the new elements you are planning to present at the Draw event? Is the Draw another challenge for the Organising Committee?

Dr Thani: With all 24 participants confirmed, the Draw event officially opens the countdown towards the competition programme of the 24th Men’s Handball World Championship and the real action.

We are extremely glad to welcome the IHF board, as well as the representatives from 23 nations here in Doha.

It is the first time ever all qualified teams and Media from all those countries will attend the Draw. Alongside the procedure, the officials will have the opportunity to make arrangements for the preparation period ahead of the Championship and the journalists will have the chance for one-to-one exclusive interviews with important handball people from various countries regardless their origins and not only with their fellow compatriots.