POSTED: Wednesday September 15th 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Qatar 2022 Bid Committee Announces Further Details of FIFA Inspection Visit

Presentations on cooling technologies, infrastructure, Meetings with Minister of Finance and Economy, Minister of State for Internal Affairs and Minister of Municipality highlight first two days of FIFA visit.

Doha, Qatar 15 September 2010 - The inspection team from world football governing body FIFA has finished its second day in Qatar examining the country's bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, completing a packed schedule of presentations and informational sessions including visits with the leadership of the Ministries of Finance, Interior, and Municipality and Urban Planning.

The visit began with a joint media statement issued by H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad al Thani, Chairman of the Qatar 2022 Bid, and Harold Mayne-Nicholls, the head of the FIFA Inspection Team, at the Four Seasons Hotel on Tuesday.  The FIFA team then met with Minister of Finance H.E. Youssif Hussain Kamal before traveling to see a prototype stadium showcasing Qatar's environmentally-friendly cooling technologies. The inspectors concluded the day at Al Sadd Stadium, where they took in the opening week match of the Qatar Stars League between Al Rayyan and Al Sadd and experienced the cooling systems currently in use at Al Sadd.

The Qatar 2022 Bid Committee is unable to reveal specific details from these meetings or the contents of certain presentations to the FIFA inspectors, although accredited media in Qatar have access to similar presentations throughout the week.

On Wednesday, the FIFA team visited Qatari Diar, the real estate arm of the Qatar Investment Authority, to view presentations on Qatar's development plans for the capital city of Doha, which includes a state-of-the art high-speed rail and metro system to be completed before the World Cup. All transportation networks will use environmentally-friendly technology and will allow Qatar to host the most compact World Cup in history, with no more than an hour travel time between stadiums, hotels and other facilities. Another presentation was given on the brand new Doha International Airport, set to begin operations in 2012. FIFA inspectors were also taken to the National Command Centre for a briefing on safety and security. 

The day concluded with visits to Education City, the site of Qatar's large-scale investment in higher education and research, and the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. Additionally, inspectors were taken on a tour of the Museum of Islamic Art, one of the finest facilities for cultural artifacts and heritage in the Middle East.

Also included in the programme were meetings with H.E. Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al Thani, Minister of State for Internal Affairs, and HE Sheikh Abdulrahman Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning.

Nasser Al Khater, Communications Director for the Qatar 2022 Bid, said that the variety of visits and meetings with senior ministerial leaders showed the breadth of official government support for Qatar's bid. "From the start, our bid has had the full backing and support of the country's government at the highest levels. We hope that these visits will show that all elements of the country's leadership and citizenry are firmly united behind this historic bid, and all have made substantial preparations in their particular areas of expertise to ensure a smoothly-run World Cup which leaves a significant local, regional and international legacy."

The FIFA Inspection Visit will conclude on Thursday, following a presentation on Qatar's ambitious stadium development and design plans at the Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence. Inspectors and Bid Officials will then take a helicopter tour of the area, followed by a final presentation of Qatar's Vision for the World Cup.

Finally, there will be a farewell joint media statement at the Four Seasons Hotel, exact time to be confirmed.

- Ends -

For more information contact:
Christian Fianco
Qatar 2022 Bid Committee
Email: media@qatar2022bid.com
http://www.qatar2022bid.com
Mobile : +974 55669340

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Keywords · Qatar 2022 · Qatar Football Association · Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad al Thani · Harold Mayne-Nicholls · FIFA · soccer

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Name: Christian Fianco
Organization: Qatar 2022 Bid Committee
Email:
Phone: +974 55669340
URL: http://www.qatar2022bid.com

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