Secretary-General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy H E Hassan Al Thawadi and FIFA President Gianni Infantino with other officials and members of the differently abled community during the event.
Doha: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will feature a number of firsts for differently abled fans, including the availability of audio descriptive commentary in Arabic at all matches.
Three stadiums will host sensory rooms for fans with sensory access requirements, while every match venue has been built to exacting accessibility standards, including accessible parking, seating, bathrooms and concession stands.
With only two weeks to go until the big kick-off, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 organisers yesterday held a special event to showcase the accessibility features of the tournament.
Members of the differently abled community and senior leadership from the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) and FIFA took part in the forum, which was held at the Multaqa student centre at Qatar Foundation (QF). It outlined how accessibility has featured centrally in World Cup preparations.
The SC has worked in partnership with FIFA and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC to prioritise accessibility throughout tournament preparations, in line with the FIFA Sustainability Strategy.
The SC launched the Accessibility Forum in 2016, with members playing an active role in providing feedback on the SC’s infrastructure projects, working towards meeting FIFA Accessibility and inclusive design standards while helping to drive the accessibility agenda in Qatar.
“From the very beginning of our journey to host this historic tournament, our commitment to accessibility has been unwavering. Not only did we work diligently to see that stadiums and tournament sites met the highest accessibility standards, we also actively involved the differently abled community to make sure the World Cup creates a lasting legacy for the differently abled community beyond Qatar 2022,” said H E Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary-General, SC.
“As a result of our work, we now see a marked improvement in the environment for differently abled people to access transportation, cultural sites and public spaces across the country. I am very proud of this legacy and look forward to the community building on these gains in the future. For fans attending the tournament, they will experience a number of accessibility features to ensure everyone feels a part of the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world,” added Al Thawadi.
As well as being available to fans in the stands, audio descriptive commentary will also be accessible to fans across the globe in Arabic and English via a dedicated mobile application. Sensory rooms will be operational at Al Bayt, Lusail and Education City during the tournament – allowing fans to watch matches in a quieter space, equipped with assistive technology and managed by expert staff. This will be the largest deployment of sensory rooms at a mega sporting event in history.
Faisal Al Kohaji, Accessibility Forum member and Chairperson of the Qatar Social Cultural Club for the Blind, said the tournament’s accessible legacy had been felt long before the opening match at Al Bayt Stadium on November 20.
“What we have seen in the area of accessibility since Qatar won the rights to host the World Cup has been life-changing for the differently abled community. We now have a modern transportation network that is equipped for all different needs, as well as greater accessibility in museums, shopping destinations and public spaces,” said Al Kohaji.
“QF has made accessibility and inclusion a priority within our schools and programmes since its inception, and our contribution to the commitment the country has made for Qatar 2022 to be the most accessible World Cup ever reflects this,” said Alexandra Chalat, Director of World Cup Legacy, QF.
