Success of Qatar 2015 Draw “Shows Qatar is Ready to Host Major Sports Events”

Hundreds of Senior Sports Leaders, International Media and Travel Agencies Attend Official Draw and Enjoy Wide Range of Cultural Activities

Doha, Qatar: The successful draw for the group rounds of the 24th Men’s Handball World Championship in Doha this week demonstrates that Qatar is ready to host large-scale sporting events, according to international visitors who attended the event.

More than 300 people came to Qatar for the official draw, including representatives from the International Handball Federation and all 24 participating teams, along with a host of international media and travel companies.

They received a warm welcome, with a programme of cultural activities accompanying the Official Draw ceremony, including tours of Souq Waqif, Iftar meals at some of Doha’s finest hotels, and a coach tour of the planned venues for the Championship, which will take place from 15 January to 1 February 2015.

On the evening of the Official Draw, the Qatar 2015 24th Men’s Handball World Championship Organising Committee held a gala dinner, under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Organising Committee.

Other VIP guests in attendance included H.E. Ali Sherif Al Emadi, Minister of Finance; H.E. Salah Al Ali, Minister of Youth And Sports; Badr Thiyab, Vice President, Asian Federation; Ahmed Abu Llayl, CEO, Asian Federation; Ahmed Al Shaabi, President, Qatar Handball Association; and Issa Al Muhannadi, Chairman, Qatar Tourism Authority.

Dr. Thani Abdulrahman Al-Kuwari, Director General, Qatar 2015 Men’s Handball World Championship Organising Committee, said: “We wanted to showcase our professionalism in hosting major events, and also enable visitors to get a feel for the range of cultural attractions and facilities that Qatar has to offer. Because our guests joined us for the Official Draw during the Holy Month of Ramadan, it gave them a real insight into Qatari traditions and culture, which added to the experience.”

Feedback from all attendees was extremely positive, praising the quality of the organisation and the warm hospitality that the visiting teams received.

Manuel Cadenas, Coach of defending World Champions Spain, said: “Spain won the title two years ago and we have to prove ourselves in Qatar as well. I believe the 24th Men’s Handball World Championship will be really special.”

Newcomers to the Championships also praised Qatar’s level of organisation and preparedness for the event.

Dr. Isa Ghnem Al Hajri, UAE Federation President, said: “This will be the UAE’s first participation at a World Championship and we feel very proud about that. Regarding the level of the organisation, I feel very proud of what I have seen, because I come from the same region and I hope Qatar will succeed not only in 2015 but also at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. We expect many people to come from UAE to watch the World Championship. The facilities are fantastic and the weather will be great.”

Mirza Muzurovic, Director of the Bosnian Handball Federation, said:  “We don’t know yet what results we can reach in this group, but we know that we will give all we can to show that we are a deserved participant of this World Championship. We are proud to be at a tournament like this for the first time, in a beautiful place with outstanding venues.”

Major Preparations for Men’s World Handball Championship

Qatar witnessed intense preparations for the Official Draw in recent weeks, with every aspect of the visit planned down to the last detail. Qatar 2015 worked with leading hotels in Qatar to host visitors for the draw, including the Ritz-Carlton, Doha and the St. Regis Doha, to ensure that they could experience the luxury and refinement available in the country.

During their time in Qatar, visitors were taken on a coach tour to see the progress of the four major venues that will host the Championship, and were extremely positive about the facilities that will be available.

Ismail Baker, Bahrain Team Manager and Board member, said: “From the first moment we arrived in Qatar, everything looked excellent. The Qataris have worked very hard and I am sure they will succeed. We had the chance to visit the venues and they are all excellent, the hotels are excellent as well, everything looks perfect. The Bahraini people will be extremely interested in seeing our national team.”

As well as the venue tour, Qatar 2015 also organised a media workshop, to introduce local and international media to the team who will look after them during their time in Qatar, and explain some key issues around covering the Championship.

Official Draw Showcases Qatar’s Culture and Love of Sport

The Official Draw was broadcast around the world on a number of leading sports channels, including beIN Sports, and was live-streamed on Qatar 2015’s own website at www.qatarhandball2015.com.

Qatar again showed its expertise in staging international sports events, with a bespoke stage design that used a high-tech digital screen to broadcast the draw results, and customised seating to provide a perfect environment for visiting media.

Hosted by well-known Qatari presenter Khalid Al Jumaily, the draw ceremony also included a sound and light performance, and the “Victor Paint Show,” an artistic celebration   and the screening of a new film showcasing Qatar and its broad range of attractions for sports fans and general visitors.

The gala dinner included a series of cultural performances, including one from Miyoko Shida Rigolo, a Zen Japanese Dancer, and children singing the much-loved “Garangao song,” and a guest appearance by Fahed, the mascot of the 2015 Championship, who distributed sweets and nuts to the guests.

Among the attractions at the host hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Doha, was a “Souq” next to the main hall, where visitors could enjoy Qatar’s traditional arts and crafts. QPost also supported the event, enabling visitors to send personalised postcards with their own stamp back home to celebrate the Official Draw, and there was a Social Media-driven booth where visitor could “Share their Ideas with the World.”

Reda Zegueli, Algerian National team Coach said: “The Draw was fantastic and I think that Qatar will do a great job for the World Championship and will definitely meet all expectations. I am sure that everyone in the Algerian community in Qatar will support us and hopefully we will do our best and represent Algerian and Arab handball.”

Qatar 2015 will be the first Men’s World Championship to take place in one city, Doha, reducing travelling time for players and officials, and enabling sports fans to attend multiple games.

Positive Feedback from Visiting Sports Executives

Karel Nocar, Team Manager Czech Republic: “We are satisfied with the draw. France are the great favourite in our group, but we have the chance to make it to the eighth-finals. We have to gather information on Algeria and Egypt, as it was 2007 when we last played against these African teams.”

Mirza Muzurovic, Director Bosnian Handball Federation:  “We don’t know yet which result we can reach in this group, but what we know is that we will give all we can to show that we are a deserved participant of this World Championship. We are proud to be at a tournament like this for the first time, in a beautiful place with outstanding venues.”

Jerzy Eliasz, Vice-President of the Polish Handball Federation: “We are in a very attractive and highly balanced group. We face a strong Asian team, the Pan-American champions and a really strong European trio. Maybe it is a historical sign that we face Germany again after we had beaten them in the World Championship play-offs. And it will be interesting to see how the Danish team develops under their new coach Gudmundur Gudmundsson. On paper, Denmark is the favourite, but we will see what our team can manage.”

Philippe Bana, Technical Director of the French Handball Federation: “I am expecting the best World Championship ever from a global level. The groups C, where we’ll play, and D are truly groups of death. We will have a re-match of the 2012 Olympic final with Sweden, so group D is composed of very strong teams. So no matter which team France will face in the eighth-finals, it will be a tough nut to crack.”

Valero Rivera, Coach Qatar: “This will be the strongest World Championship ever with four highly competitive groups. So it was a really hard decision, which group we should choose. It is our dream to proceed to the knock-out stage, and I believe that in this group we have the best opportunities to make it.”

Bernhard Bauer, President of the German Handball Federation: “We are very humble and we are pleased to be here. Of course the match against Poland will be something really special after those World Championship play-offs. Also we really look forward to the match with Denmark, as we will host the 2019 Men’s World Championship jointly with the Danes. Russia are always strong, but the German team wants to show the world that they deserve to be in Qatar.”

Sead Hasanefendic, Tunisian Coach: “Our group is balanced, but of course Croatia are the big favourites. Though Bosnia are a debutant they are strong and the Macedonians have proven their abilities in the previous big tournament. It is our first goal to promote handball in Tunisia, to excite our fans and to bring us back into the spotlight. And we will try everything to make it to the knock-out stage.”

Gudmundur Gudmundsson, Coach Denmark: “One really good team of this group will have to play in the President’s Cup and miss the eighth-finals. Germany was the strongest we could get from pot 6 and Poland are the strongest from pot 2. And all European teams in this group need to be aware of Argentina, as they have really improved. So this draw was anything but luck for us.”

Staffan Olssson, Coach Sweden: “A draw for a World Championship is always like a lottery. No matter which teams you have to face, they are strong opponents. They will be very hard matches, but in the end we will have to see.”

Martin Hausleitner, Secretary General of the Austrian Handball Federation: “It is a heavy task, but we have all the opportunities in our hands, and it could have even been much worse. We will see ‘old opponents’ like FYR Macedonia, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina again, so we mainly have a chance for revenge against the Macedonians, who eliminated us from the World Championship two years ago. We know how hard those nuts are to crack, but we will try hard.”

Borut Macek, Iran Coach: “Our group is not that bad. It’s strong for sure, and tough for us since this is our first time at a World Championship. The only thing I cannot say I like is that we have three teams from former Yugoslavia: Croatia, FYR Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The latter eliminated Iceland, which means they have a very good team. Austria in the last two competitions achieved very good results and Tunisia is always one of the best teams in Africa. I hope for the best and we will surely not surrender and maybe we will also try to surprise our opponents. I believe this will be one of the best World Championships ever. I was the coach of Qatar before and I know all members of the federation. I know they have worked hard all these years and I wish them the best. I am sure this will be the No 1 World Championship in the history of handball.”

Slavko Goluza, Croatia Coach: “We have been drawn in a very interesting group, with very good teams: Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia and Tunisia. Iran also has a very good team. Every time Croatia plays at a big event, our target is to reach the final and win the gold medal. Our first aim of course will be to finish first in our group. I believe this will be the second best World Championship ever but after the 2009 World Championship which was organised by Croatia (laughs…).”

Jordi Ribera, Brazil Coach: “I believe Brazil has good chances to qualify from Group A to the eighth finals. I think that Group D looks to be the hardest. There is no easy group of course, but I am very happy Brazil have been drawn in Group A. After staying here in Doha in all these days and watching the level of the organisation, I believe this will be the best World Championship ever.”

Manuel Cadenas, Spain Coach: “All coaches agree that Group D is the toughest. Spain’s Group (A) looks good. There are good teams of course, but it is obvious from Valero Rivera’s decision to choose Group A as the most desirable, that our Group is easier comparing to the others. For Spain it is a special Group because three of the teams are coached by Spaniards (i.e. Cadenas, Rivera, Ribera).  During the draw we were all sitting together, speaking about handball. It will be difficult to surprise my colleagues, because we were all living in Spain and have coached various teams for many years in the First Division. Spain won the title two years ago and we have to prove ourselves in Qatar as well. I believe the 24th Men’s Handball World Championship will be really special.”

Ismail Baker, Bahrain Team Manager and Board Member: “From the first moment we arrived in Qatar everything looked excellent. We were unlucky to be drawn in Group D, which is the “Group of Death”, but we are happy that we will play against all these great teams because it will be a huge experience for us. We will try our best and I hope will have luck by our side. I think that we will see great things by Qatar in terms of organisation and it will be difficult for the next hosts to present something better. The Qataris have worked very hard and I am sure they will succeed. We had the chance to visit the venues and they are all excellent, the hotels are excellent as well, everything looks perfect. The Bahraini people will be extremely interested in seeing our national team. We have already asked IHF to allow us to play all our games after 19:00, because more people will travel from Bahrain. Of course even if this cannot be done, the Bahrainis will follow their national team because they love handball. Good luck to all the teams!”

Dr. Isa Ghnem Al Hajri, UAE Federation President: “This will be UAE’s first participation at a World Championship and we feel very proud about that. We want to enjoy this adventure and we hope in the future we will present an even better team. Regarding the level of the organisation, I feel very proud of what I have seen, because I come from the same region and I hope Qatar will succeed not only in 2015 but also at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. If Qatar will need any help from UAE we will gladly offer it to them. We expect many people to come from UAE to watch the World Championship. The facilities are fantastic and the weather will be great.”

Oleg Kuleshov, Coach Russia: “Despite facing very strong opponents in our group, we have high hopes to finish this group in second position to avoid the strongest opponents from group C in the eighth-finals.”

Zhivko Mukaetov, President of the FYR Macedonian Handball Federation: “It’s a pleasure to be here in Doha, our ambition is to make it to the quarter-finals. In our group Croatia is the favourite, on the other side we have five teams with certain qualities. Our ambition is to be in second or third place in the group. The draw event was really nice, interesting, well organised, unique and different than what we have had before.”

Uros Morovic, Manager of the Slovenian national team: “Slovenia is satisfied with the group, it’s a very interesting one because Slovenia lost to Spain in the semi-finals of the 2013 World Championship, and then we also lost to Belarus in the qualifications for the European Championship. Qatar is the host and the two South American teams we don’t know much about, so it’s a very tough group, but we should get to at least the second spot in the group to get a good opponent for the eighth-finals and the quarter finals, which is our main goal. I am confident this is going to be the best World Championship so far because it’s quite spectacular with all the arenas and the hotels, and because Qatar is growing into a handball nation year-by-year. I’m not afraid that there will be empty stands in the arenas because of the great tourist packages for the fans from Europe.”

Reda Zegueli, Algerian National team Coach: “We already won the African championship five times in a row until 1996, but since then and up until 2014 we haven’t won the title. We have a young team and our players are motivated and confident. If we prepare well, we might end up in a good position. I am sure that everyone in the Algerian community in Qatar will support us and hopefully we will do our best and represent Algerian and Arab Handball. The Draw was fantastic and I think that Qatar will do a great job for the World Championship and will definitely meet the expectations.”

Dr. Khaled Hammouda, President of the Egyptian Handball Federation: “Regarding the organisation, it was the best ever with cutting-edge technology. There was certainly a bit of tension at first but as an Egyptian and as a representative of the Egyptian Federation, and after the draw, I feel more comfortable and I can say that we were lucky to be in this group. We have as much of a chance as the others to win, the levels of the teams in this group are pretty much the same, except for France which is considered a little bit stronger. France and Sweden are the toughest teams without a doubt. The level of the other teams is really close.”

Edwardo Gallardo, coach Argentina: “I believe that our group is probably the most difficult one. Every European team is difficult to beat but I believe that Denmark is the toughest. The organisation of this draw event was fantastic and it is the first time that we see a draw event organised on this magnitude. We will definitely compare future draw events to this one but I don’t think that any country will match this high a level anytime soon.”