05-24-2019, 12:42 AM
DOHA, Qatar - Cooled, modern stadiums. Fans travelling from the Middle East and beyond, to a region anxious to prove it can put on a show and have its own brand of fun.All against doubts about whether women, gays, and beer-drinkers will feel comfortable.The 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the wealthy oil- and gas-producing Gulf nation with giant ambitions that belie its size, is shaping up as a unique experience.As plans jump from architects tables to bricks and mortar on what used to be desert, Qatar officials putting together the first World Cup in the Middle East detailed — in exclusive interviews with The Associated Press — what the fan experience may look like in eight years.THE SCENEWith the worlds third-largest proven reserves of natural gas, Qatar has vast riches to deliver its World Cup bid slogan: Expect Amazing.Visitors to Qatars showcase capital, Doha, will see the toothy skyline rising from what was sand 35 years ago, and eye-catching wealth.At night, the souped-up roars of luxury supercars and racers chasing each other on superbikes reverberate off the futuristic steel-and-glass towers.Perhaps only in Doha can one see advertisements such as this in a local newspaper: Urgently wanted: Palace.STADIUMSThere will be eight to 12 venues, the exact number hasnt been disclosed yet. Architectural drawings offer a preview of some.The planned Lusail Stadium in northern Doha, where city ends and desert begins, is earmarked for the opening match and final.Without being frivolous with our money, without being extravagant, we are aiming for an architecturally iconic vision, and a finish and a design that is somewhat groundbreaking, project manager Tamim el-Abed said.He dropped a hint to expect high-tech, saying fans will soon be able to watch live-action replays on tablets from their stadium seats.Future-proofing is very important for us because you see the speed at which technology is developing, he said. You dont want to design something now that is redundant by time the tournament comes around.HEATConcerns that visitors will wilt in desert heat have been one of Qatars biggest headaches.But fans should pack sweaters if, as expected, FIFA moves the tournament to November-December or January-February.Evenings this November were cool, even chilly. Sea breezes made daytime heat feel less fierce. But dust from the desert and construction tickled throats.If FIFA moves the tournament from June-July, Qatar still plans to air-condition World Cup sites, as promised in its bid.Stations will be cooled, fan zones will be cooled, queuing lines and the last mile (kilometre and a half) before a venue will be cooled, el-Abed said.Power will come from solar energy, with a 100-megawatt solar-plant by 2017, said Dario Cadavid, the point-man on cooling technology.On-pitch temperatures should hover around 26 degrees Celsius (79 F) and never exceed 28 (83), unlike the sometimes suffocating humidity and heat at this years World Cup in Brazil, he said.MIDEAST MOJOQatar officials say two billion people live within a four-hour flight radius of Doha.This could give a very Middle Eastern feel to the tournament held 10 times out of 20 in Europe.Cairo, Tehran, Baghdad and Beirut are no more than three hours flight-time away; Istanbul is four hours; Gulf neighbours just a hop away; the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, is a six-hour drive.You will be greeted by Qataris, along with Lebanese, Tunisians, Moroccans, Jordanians, Iraqis, Saudis, Kuwaitis, said Mushtaq al-Waeli, executive director of a Qatari institute, Josoor, giving sports-event training to people from the Middle East and North Africa.Middle Easterners look to 2022 to show that their region isnt solely defined by Israeli-Palestinian conflict, frequent violence and oil and gas.We need to break down those perceptions about what we are, said Hassan al-Thawadi, Qatars chief World Cup organizer. Even if it means chipping down just one layer of prejudice and youve got a thousand layers behind it, thats one layer less.FUNDoha is no Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian party city that swayed to samba, football and booze at the 2014 World Cup.Alcohol is sold to Doha visitors only in posh hotels and they must show passports.Qatari ladies are not allowed to enter the bar at any time, says the sign in one Doha hotel.Alcohol will be available in certain areas and other areas it wont be available. Alcohol is not part of our religion, its not part of our tradition, said al-Thawadi.Fans wont be able to walk around the streets or walk around the corner and buy, you know, a pint. Thats not how we are. But theyll find places.Doha resident Regard Aboo Yakou, manager of Qatar operations for construction management firm Hill International, doesnt expect much of a party.There is nothing to do, he said. Football fans like to drink, raise hell, party in the streets and take their clothes off and whatever. They wont be able to do that here.WOMEN, GAYSVisiting women need not cover up almost completely like Qataris, and theres no formal dress code for them.You just need to dress appropriately, said Deepa Puvanik, an Indian woman who wore jeans and a shawl to a football match in November, when Qatar beat North Korea.Of course, to come here in a bikini is not acceptable, she said.How welcomed gay visitors will be isnt clear.The Qatari sports minister, Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali, said in an AP interview this question is still being looked at.Bin Ghanem didnt provide specifics but saidWe are studying all these issues. We can adapt, we can be creative to have people coming and enjoying the games without losing the essence of our culture and respecting the preference of the people coming here. 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But Karim Benzema and Jese Rodriguez scored in each half for Madrid to come out of the first leg with the firm advantage.If youre going to attempt a Panenka penalty in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup youd better make sure you find the back of the net. However, Jason Cummings was left red-faced after his attempt against Dundee United sailed woefully over the bar.The Hibs forward was later able to redeem himself when he scored the winning penalty in the shoot-out to send his side to the Scottish Cup Final after a 0-0 draw after extra-time. But his failed effort in the 30 minutes will live long in the memory.He later said he thought he had Pirlo in his locker and admitted his head would be on a spike if he had failed in the shoot-out. Jason Cummings reacts after his missed penalty You can see the embarrassing miss for yourself by hitting play on the video at the top of the page - and dont forget to tune in to the second Scottish Cup semi-final between Rangers and Celtic from 11am on Sky Sports 2 on Sunday.dddddddddddd Also See: Match report As it happened Stitched College Jerseys Cheap UCLA Jerseys NCAA Louisville Cardinals Jerseys North Carolina Jerseys Stitched Kentucky Wildcats Jerseys Stitched Alabama Crimson Tide Jerseys Cheap Basketball Wisconsin Badgers Jerseys Authentic NCAA Jerseys Store Wholesale Basketball NCAA Jerseys Cheap Duke Gear Stitched Alabama Jerseys Stitched Georgia Jerseys Cheap Clemson Jerseys Authentic Authentic Texas Jerseys Wholesale USC Jerseys Stitched Oklahoma Jerseys Stitched Ohio State Jerseys Cheap Notre Dame Gear UCLA Jerseys From China Cheap Louisville Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap North Carolina Jerseys Authentic Cheap Kentucky Jerseys Authentic Wisconsin Jerseys From China Cheap Michigan Gear Cheap Florida Gear Wholesale Arizona State Jerseys Cheap LSU Gear Cheap Auburn Gear Cheap California Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Miami Jerseys Authentic Cheap Michigan State Gear Cheap Tennessee Jerseys Authentic Texas A&M Jerseys From China Authentic Wake Forest Jerseys West Virginia Jerseys From China ' ' '