The State of Qatar and the WHO are teaming up for a healthy and safe 2022 FIFA World Cup

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the state of Qatar today launched a new multi-year collaboration to make the 2022 FIFA World Cup, to be held in Qatar, a world championship in promoting physical and mental health, and also a model for securing future mega sporting events. are healthy and safe.

A three-year joint project entitled “Healthy 2022 World Cup-Creating a Heritage for Sport and Health” was announced at a joint ceremony at the WHO headquarters in Geneva by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghrebreyesus, WHO Director-General; HER. Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Qatari Minister of Public Health; HER. Mr. Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Qatari Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy; FIFA President Mr Gianni Infantino; and Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean.

The WHO and Qatar, in close cooperation with FIFA, will undertake joint activities to promote healthy living, health security and physical and mental well-being at the heart of the world football peak to be held from 21 November to 18 December next year.

In addition, another critical goal of the project is to set and translate best practices in promoting health, safety and security, as practiced at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, for use at major sporting events around the world.

“I would like to thank Minister Al Kuwari and the State of Qatar for teaming up with the WHO to make the 2022 FIFA World Cup a role model for healthy sporting events,” Dr. Tedros said. “WHO is committed to working with Qatar and FIFA to harness the global power of football to help people lead the healthiest and safest lives.”

D Tedros added: “As the Qatari tournament will be the first World Cup to be held during a pandemic, the event offers a unique opportunity to show how sport can now promote health and provide a lasting legacy for organizing healthy sporting events when the world recovers from a pandemic. “

Dr Al Kuwari, Qatar’s Minister of Public Health, said: “The state of Qatar is proud to be the first country in the Middle East to host the FIFA World Cup. But our goal is not just to hold a successful sporting event – it is to hold the healthiest sporting event possible. That is why we have partnered with the WHO. ”

“We look forward to working closely with WHO, FIFA and other partners on this new project to deliver a fantastic, healthy World Cup and leave a legacy that supports the maintenance of healthy, sustainable and safe mega sporting events in the future.”

The main themes on which the project will focus are supporting people in applying healthy lifestyles, including through physical activity, healthy eating and smoking cessation and control; promoting health security, with an emphasis on ensuring safe mass gatherings and events; and advocacy and health awareness.

Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, praised the new partnership between Qatar and WHO, and said that it is based on a successful partnership between FIFA and WHO signed in 2019 with a memorandum of understanding.

“In the last two years, FIFA and WHO have redoubled our efforts to promote the importance of physical and mental health to millions of people everywhere, especially in light of the global challenges posed by COVID-19. We are committed to working with the world of football, from elite players to core teams, to advance the message of health for all. The new WHO project with Qatar is perfectly in line with the cooperation of FIFA on both sides. Working together, we will harness the power of sport as a catalyst for a safer and healthier world. “

At a time when the pandemic has deepened vulnerabilities and inequalities, it is more important than ever to ensure that everyone, of all ages and abilities, has access to safe sports.