The World Cup is over for FIFA, but that means the start of work on Education City and the headquarters of the Qatar Foundation. After compiling data from around the country, the entity, supported by investments from the monarchy and private partnerships, will begin to analyze them. The future of sport for women in the region will depend on this study.
According to the foundation, there are some questions that need to be answered. How many women play sports these days in Qatar? How many are outside the system? What sports do they practice the most? What are the existing barriers?
The answers will come to the American Alexandra Chalat, director of the Qatar Foundation for the legacy of the World Cup.
“We’ll get a response in the coming months to launch our own strategy,” she explains.
Cidade da Educação, where there is a stadium used in the World Cup, will be a sports center for women, according to the long-term plan drawn up by the government and linked to the hosting of the World Cup.
“This is all part of the Qatar 2030 plan. Offering workshops, leadership courses, the chance to practice sports and give them opportunities”, adds Maha Al Ansari, coordinator of the communication department and former player of the Qatar national basketball team.
Qatar 2030 is a strategy outlined by the monarchy to change the country’s image abroad, increase its geopolitical influence, transform it into a tourism center and reduce dependence on oil and natural gas extraction.
Through Education City, the Qatar Foundation offers different women’s sports at various times of the day. This is because the perception of managers is that girls need to feel comfortable in the training and game environment. And that kept many away from sports.
Therefore, they have their own structure, with locker rooms, fields and all other physical structures just for them.
Alexandra, who lived in London for ten years and, therefore, didn’t need much effort not to call soccer “soccer”, as it happens in the United States, knows that there are difficulties to be overcome. A part of Qatari society is still resistant to women being involved in sport. But she says she believes this time will be different. There is an important reason for this belief: it is an orientation of the monarchy.
“There are parts of the population that may not be comfortable with women in sport, but it’s guidance that comes from leadership. [do paÃs]🇧🇷 There is guidance that it is important to participate in sports,” he says.
The end of the FIFA tournament should resume the frenetic level of activities, tournaments and training in Education City. Everything was paralyzed because of the World Cup, which also involved foundation employees, who would go to work with scarves for their national teams.
About 60% of students at Cidade da Educação, an institution with 80 partner universities around the world, are women. The same goes for just over 50% of the staff of the Qatar Foundation.
The standard discourse among people at both institutions is that there is a process of change going on. A slow but steady movement. Qatar is still a country that restricts women’s rights. They need permission from a male “guardian” to do a range of things, including travel, work, education, marriage and women’s health, according to Human Rights Watch.
The father is primarily responsible and, in his absence, other family members such as brothers, uncles or grandfathers assume guardianship. After the marriage, the transfer is made to the husband and, in case of divorce, the custody reverts to close relatives.
Freedom of expression, the rights of immigrants and women and the repression of LGBTQIA+ movements were central points of the protests before and during the World Cup.
The resumption of games and training is what Hadwa Mohamed, 17, is most looking forward to. She enjoyed watching the World Cup, but the results on the pitch have doubly disappointed her. She cried when Cristiano Ronaldo was knocked out by Portugal. And she didn’t want Lionel Messi to be champion with Argentina under any circumstances.
“My father didn’t want me to play, but only because he didn’t want to see his daughter get hurt. I grew up with boys, so I was always aggressive”, she jokes, in a Liverpool (ING) uniform, her favorite team – also a fan of the defender Dutchman Virgil van Dijk, eliminated by Messi’s team in the quarterfinals.
Hadwa repeats the story of so many other girls who come to Cidade da Educação for activities that can be free or paid for: she wanted an environment where she could be herself, without worrying about boys. It’s one thing to play in the street with friends. Another is organized soccer, with boots, uniforms and referees.
“Football makes me feel free. That I can exercise my individuality, meet new people. We played against a Brazilian team. Meeting them was what I liked the most. They were great!”, he cheers.
“Our perception is that sport is important for the community, for society and for women. It is something we need to do”, concludes Maha Al Mansari.
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