[UPDATE] Qatar 2022 World Cup: Amazing revelations and the Nigerian who managed safety at Lusail Stadium

In the past World Cups and Olympic games this reporter covered, the media enjoyed a lot of services and privileges.

Team lists were printed and passed around to journalists before the matches. Copies were made available everywhere. At half time, statistics of the first half were quickly printed and distributed to journalists in the halls of media centre and media tribunes. Same followed at full time.

Goals scored and times, fouls committed, number of corner kicks, free kicks, cards, substitutions and important highlights including possessions. It was so detailed that you could write a match report without watching the game.

Pre and post match quotes from players and coaches were also printed out and distributed. Information about press conferences and training schedule of teams were served. At the Olympics, quotes from athletes at the mixed zone and during interviews were printed out and served  journalists.

It was journalism made easy.

But all these are now in the past. In as much as crowds still attend matches, less interaction and less contacts are now encouraged. Covid -19 and Climate Change are changing the world. Printing out details in hard copies and distributing to people could spread Covid-19. This partly informed the decision to stop these services. Another reason is the move for a carbon-free world. Science is calling for less production of materials that would turn to wastes which in effect will lead to burning or destruction of such wastes. That affects the weather.

Now, almost everything is automated and the more you serve yourself the better for the world, so they say. Even match tickets are no longer given to media at the help desk. You print them out by scanning your media accreditation on provided machines. From there you know if you have a ticket for the match or not.

Your ticket automatically comes out if your online application for ticket is approved. Less interaction is the order of the day now. Most things if not everything should be paperless.

In Qatar you were expected to go online for any information you wanted. The changes manifested right on your arrival at the airport. Immigration clearance took only a few seconds. You scanned information page of your passport on a machine and if you were eligible for passage it cleared you in two or three seconds and you passed through immigration without any immigration official.

The provision was made for the World Cup but it may now be the procedure with slight changes at Hamad International Airport, Doha. The main media centre is usually the first port of call for any media person.

The one Qatar provided at Qatar National Convention Centre, QNCC, was a city on its own. It was so huge that moving from one section to another could take some good time.

The stadiums, the metro lines linking the stadiums, the compactness of the World Cup – it was possible for fans to watch two matches in a day. All these added to the beauty of the just concluded World Cup. The event itself, taking place in November-December was unique. There were drama and poetry nights, music and entertainment shows in different places.

For the first time non accredited journalists who found their way to the World Cup venue had a media centre provided for them. They watched matches in the centre and at fan zones where facilities had stadium effects. Qatar was different. The local market became the United Nations of Football.

Souk is a market where traditional wears are sold. It also has many restaurants and coffee bars. Fans from different countries gathered there to shop and relax, analysing past matches and previewing coming ones. It was so busy with all the trappings of a football carnival that a foreign newspaper described the market as THE UNITED NATIONS OF FOOTBALL.

Arsenal legend, Ian Wright celebrated, in a viral video, a traditional wear he was gifted at the place. Souk was a place to be during the World Cup. The City Centre also became a tourist place. People came with their children to admire visitors in town for the World Cup. And the singing fans from England, Argentina, Morocco and other countries entertained all with their passion.

The atmosphere was exciting, the organisation seamless and the matches classic. Engineer Eugene Okoson, a former UK-based engineer who was among those who built the magnificent Lusail Stadium put it this way: “Qatar did everything to host the best World Cup ever and I’m happy they did. FIFA gave conditions. They met all the conditions. Build more stadiums, they did. Build metro lines, they did, build more hotels, they did. Then the west came. They own the world, so everything must be done their way. Qatar must change. Respect gay rights, allow them freedom even in public places.

“Qatar said no, it’s not our life. You can’t impose your culture on us. That became their offence and the west descended on them with bad press. Now, the success of the World Cup has drowned their negative postures and what happened in the final between Argentina and France truly confirmed it as the best World Cup final ever.”

Okoson was the safety manager at the Lusail Stadium. Those into construction would know better if told that a Nigerian was the safety manager of such a stupendous stadium, one of the best in the world. Okosun also had a hand in the metro projects in Qatar.

“I’m happy that I was part of it. Construction of Lusail Stadium was hectic but it went well and today people say it’s one of the best in the world. Qatar deserves all the accolades. They gave it their best shot and the world is celebrating their success today. Let the west remain in their gay world and not pollute other places. Qatar is now known for the World Cup legacies,” Okosun concluded.

And the history of football will record them as the hosts of the best World Cup at least before 2022. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Thani led the bid when Qatar told the world to EXPECT AMAZING things if they won the bid to host the World Cup. I had the privilege of watching their presentation. I told colleagues that if what we just watched was what they presented to FIFA, the World Cup was coming to Qatar. It did. Their slogan changed to DELIVER AMAZING. They vowed to deliver amazing World Cup.

They did and we all EXPERIENCED it from November 20 to December 18, coincidentally their National Day. Qatar said it would be A NIGHT TO REMEMBER. They were sure they would wow the world with a super closing ceremony. Interestingly, the final match has been adjudged the best World Cup final ever.

It was dramatic. Argentina led 2-0 at first half and they so dominated that it appeared they would coast to victory easily. France, through athletic Kylian Mbappe equalised. Argentina went on to lead 3-2 in extra time only for Mbappe to equalise again. The attacking runs of both teams and attempts at goal made everybody edgy. Argentina eventually won 4-2 on penalties and the world celebrated with their captain, Lionel Messi who had won everything but the World Cup.

He did so amazingly, scoring two goals on the night. Qatar was symbol of everything good for football. Hassan Al Thawdi ably led the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, Qatar’s equivalent of Local Organising Committee.

They also had the likes of Fatima Al Nuaimi, Nasser Al Khater, Yasser Abdulla Al Jamal and other members of the Supreme Committee including Abdulaziz Al Ishaq who held sway at Al Janoub and made everybody happy with his humour. They were all responsible for the changes we saw in the last World Cup. Don’t forget that the stadiums had cooling technology which made the weather suiting for football. Qatar had contingency plan to change any pitch that wore out during the matches. Every stadium had grass planted in a way that it could be moved to replace any part worn out in any stadium and it would be perfect on the pitch.

So many changes and innovations marked the just concluded event. Hassan Al Thawadi and his colleagues at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy took the baton from Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani and ran a brilliant race, finishing superbly with global recognition and respect. They can all walk taller than their heights for the AMAZING WORLD CUP THAT WAS QATAR 2022.