Dino Ruta - Qatar the Land of Sports and Events: Human Capital Strategy for Socio-Economic Impacts

QATAR THE LAND OF SPORTS AND EVENTS

Over the last two decades, Qatar has decided to invest in three key assets for its sustainable socio-economic development: sports, events and education. Through Josoor Institute, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has activated a number of initiatives for people development. As well as organizing a number of major international events, Qatar was entrusted with the organization of the first FIFA World Cup to take place in the Middle East and the first final to be played in December. After an overview from a socio-economic perspective, the book examines the major events hosted in the country and the process that led Qatar to win the FIFA bid, documenting the controversies and challenges faced during this process. Furthermore, the book highlights the countrys strong focus on capacity-building and creating a solid legacy through human capital and infrastructure development, which are able to profoundly shape its future. The narrative has been enriched by interviews with and contributions from some of the main players involved in this transformation. The goal is to describe facts and initiatives in an authentic way, highlighting good practices in the field of education, while following a multicultural perspective.

Dino Ruta is Professor of Practice of Leadership and Sport Management at SDA Bocconi School of Management where he leads the Sports Knowledge Center. He is the Scientific Director of the FIFA Master and the Academic Director of the Diploma Programmes in Sport and Major Events Management delivered in Qatar with Josoor Institute, and he works with leading sports organizations and athletes, supporting them in developing innovative projects.

edited by

Dino Ruta

Human Capital Strategy for Socio-Economic Impacts

Cover: Cristina Bernasconi, Milan

Typesetting: Laura Panigara, Cesano Boscone (MI)

Photo credits:

The West Bay skyline and Doha downtown: boule13 / iStock

Tent in the Qatari desert: typhoonski / iStock

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in Aspire Zone, Doha: Hasan Zaidi / Alamy Stock Photo

Birds-eye view of the Pearl Island in Doha: venuestock / iStock

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First edition: October 2022

ISBN Domestic Edition 978-88-99902-78-0

ISBN International Edition 978-88-31322-59-1

ISBN Digital Domestic Edition 0978-88-238-8543-1

ISBN Digital International Edition 978-88-31322-75-1

The smallest country to ever host a World Cup, the most compact FIFA World Cup in modern history and the longest distance between venues amounting to just 75 kilometers.

Nasser Al Khater, CEO of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC

A unique partnership between SDA Bocconi School of Management and Josoor Institute to foster human capital development in the field of sports and events management in the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East and the first to take place in November and December, during the northern hemispheres winter, in a country less than a quarter of the size of Switzerland (11,437 km), with a population of around 300,000 Qatari citizens and 3 million expatriates.

Dino Ruta, Professor of Practice of Leadership and Sport Management at SDA Bocconi School of Management

Josoor Institute in partnership with SDA Bocconi School of Management designed and delivered Sports Management and Major Events Management Diploma Programmes highlighting the uniqueness of Qatari investments in key managerial topics such as athletes development, fans and community engagement and events impacts. A multicultural team composed by faculty members and experts from the industry with the aim to implement practical guidelines to the Qatari context.

Afraa Al Noaimi, Executive Director of Josoor Institute

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is a catalyst for economic, social, environmental and sustainable development in the country, which is aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030. Hosting the first carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup is not only a message to the whole world, but it is also a big change that our society is embracing at the moment.

Ahmed Khellil Abbassi, Executive Director of Competitions & Football Development of the QSL

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 added the Arabic to FIFAs official languages.

Mead Al Emadi, FIFA Fan Festival Director at Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy

Among the 8 stadiums, the Ras Abu Aboud Stadium (stadium 974) will represent the first fully dismountable FIFA World Cup stadium in tournament history and most of the others will be reduced in capacity to leave a long-lasting legacy.

Angelo Spampinato, Stadium Design Manager for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Qatar has invested in state-of-the-art sporting infrastructures and is working to become an international benchmark for sports and events organization.

Javier Zanetti, Vice President of FC Internazionale Milano

In my experience I have learned that football players create the poetry of football and managers deliver the prose, so both are needed and must be of value. This is true also for Qatar.

Demetrio Albertini, President of the Technical Sector of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC)

Starting from its roots and bonding with sports culture and environmental protection, Qatar will become a global hub of sports and other events, with a strong social and cultural impact for the whole world.

Marco Balich, Chairman at Balich Wonder Studio

To Lisa and Lorenzo, the best legacy of my life.

Dino Ruta

An Overview of Qatar Economy and Society
by Dino Ruta, Roya Derakhshan, Lorenzo Vittorio Caprara

Major Sport and Entertainment Events in Qatar
by Antonio Palmieri, Luca Antonelli, Paolo Giuseppe Gorlero

Aspire Ecosystem
by Deborah Carolina Raccagni, Roya Derakhshan, Chiara Bigotto

Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022
by Dino Ruta, Luca Antonelli, Lorenzo Vittorio Caprara, Paolo Giuseppe Gorlero

Josoor Institute for Capacity Building
by Antonio Palmieri, Deborah Carolina Raccagni, Luca Antonelli, Chiara Bigotto

Legacy and Future Impacts
by Dino Ruta, Chiara Bigotto, Lorenzo Vittorio Caprara

Video resources