Doha, 29 January 2024 - The Executive Director of Central Operations at the Organizing Committee of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 Eng. Badr Abdulhamid Al Langawi affirmed that the organizational process of the tournament is proceeding according to the planned schedule and without any obstacles so far since the State of Qatar won the bid to host it.
In an exclusive statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Langawi said that the Central Operations at the committee includes distinguished Qatari cadres who have gained extensive organizational experience through their involvement in organizing various tournaments and sports events hosted by Qatar in recent years, including the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which left a significant legacy for the State of Qatar.
The Executive Director of Central Operations at the Organizing Committee pointed out that the Central Operations encompasses several specialized departments, including the Medical Department, which provides services around the clock through the central control room covering all participating teams and official delegations in the tournament, as it is available in all hotels, whether through ambulance services or the presence of a dedicated medical clinic in every stadium equipped with highly trained medical teams ready for rapid intervention in critical situations for players and fans. He added that all tournament stadiums are equipped with medical clinics for fans, and mobile medical teams which are deployed outside the stadium during the entry and exit of fans, supported by ambulance services when necessary.
He emphasized that the medical department has so far succeeded in carrying out its tasks with high precision and timely medical intervention, contributing to the treatment of cases it received. This was achieved through collaborative efforts with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Aspetar which also provides services to all athletes for diagnosing and treating sports injuries through a specialized sports clinic.
Al Langawi clarified that one of the departments under the Central Operations is the Information Systems which is responsible for various logistical tasks, including providing programs and systems for employees and various departments, connecting all stadiums, sites and the main operations center to each other, providing e-services and internet services therein, providing wireless communications for all tournament staff, and providing electronic and communication services for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and participating teams, in addition to ensuring the readiness of the communications network for the fans and the workforce in all stadiums, linking all screens available in the stadiums with the official carrier, and securing the tournament in terms of cybersecurity.
The Executive Director of Central Operations at the Organizing Committee of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 affirmed that the department responsible for accommodating official delegations and tournament guests is one of the departments under the Central Operations, adding that this department played a significant role before and during the tournament, focusing on selecting hotels that meet specific criteria to ensure a distinguished stay for the participating teams and tournament guests, in collaboration and coordination between the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and the AFC. After several inspection visits to numerous hotels in the country, a total of 21 hotels were chosen to host the 24 participating teams, with some delegations staying in the same hotel, and four other hotels were selected for VIPs, referees, observers, media personnel, and the Asian Football Confederation staff, he added, noting that all chosen hotels have the necessary experience and facilities to host a major event like the AFC Asian Cup.
Regarding the translation department at the tournament, Al Langawi said that there is extensive coordination between the organizing committee and the AFC regarding simultaneous interpretation services for press conferences, with approximately 2000 media representatives attending, pointing out that nearly 76 press conferences had been conducted until the first day of the Round of 16, all translated into both Arabic and English, the two official languages approved by the Asian Football Confederation.
He highlighted the cooperation between the tournament's broadcasting channels and the Local Organizing Committee, providing direct translation services for the channels. The committee also has the choice to obtain conferences without translation in high quality.
Furthermore, the Executive Director of Central Operations at the Organizing Committee of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 said that one of the affiliated departments is the Hospitality Services within the stadiums, especially for the fans, as the tournament witnesses a large turnout in all matches played so far, and that despite the substantial attendance and high demand for tournament tickets, the services provided maintain high quality. There has been collaboration with relevant authorities in the country to ensure food safety and health standards, he added.
