The handball world championship has ended, but it will be talked about for many years due to what Qatar achieved in this tournament — no non-European country had reached the final before.
For many years, no one will forget the 24th edition of the event held in Qatar as it was well-organised.
The event was held in sports facilities of the highest standards, and featured superb logistics, good security arrangements and dazzling opening and closing ceremonies.
All these made the event exceptional in the history of the tournament, which began in 1938. As the president of the International Handball Federation, Dr Hassan Mustafa, said: “It is considered the best world handball championship”.
Although the French team scored three more goals than Qatar in the final, the Qatari team is proud because it is the first team from outside Europe to have reached the final, and this achievement is not just for Qatar but for all Arabs, who have never achieved something like this.
Everyone who attended the match or watched it, whether players, journalists or fans, will testify that it was well-organizes and managed.
This will help Qatar host other sports events, and will make France think twice in the handball championship which it will host in 2017.
Certainly, France will benefit from Qatar’s experience in organising this event, and this will be a creditable achievement for Qatar and its leader.
The Qatar team’s achievement would not have been possible without unstinted support from the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the efforts of H E Sheikh Joaan, Chairman of the Organising Committee for the handball championship, which prepared for hosting the event, and the team that worked with him, such as the Qatari Handball Association, players and volunteers.
Qatar has proved its ability to host any sporting event, and the achievement of hosting the handball event is just an introduction to a bigger event, the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This will lead to successes in fields of economy, politics, education and art.
Qatar has achieved successes in many fields with the grace and guidance of God and the Emir. There is no need for anyone to talk about them; the achievements speak for themselves. So Qatar is progressing in all sectors.
My congratulations, thanks and appreciation to all of you; you were supporters and participants in the creativity. And Qatar will remain on course for more success.
