Qatar defies virus, presses on with major sport events

DOHA: Qatar has defied soaring coronavirus numbers to stage high-profile sporting events, serving as a test bed ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Cup, but also suffering high-profile setbacks.

Doha, among the most controversial World Cup hosts of the modern era, has bucked the trend of more established sporting nations which have cancelled or postponed a slew of elite events.

Instead it has deployed multi-billion dollar venues, luxury hotels-turned-quarantine centres and formidable virus testing system to host football, golf, tennis, motorcycling, judo and beach volleyball events -- some with spectators.

Simon Chadwick, professor of Eurasian Sport at EM Lyon University, said full-fledged tournaments complete with fans were key to Qatar's strategy to diversify its economy away from gas and oil dependence.

"It is reckless to be staging events during times of rising infection, but... the inconvenient truth for Qatar is that the country has rolled the dice big on sporting events," he said.

Since winning the role of World Cup 2022 host back in 2010, Qatar has been dogged by accusations of worker mistreatment, corruptly obtaining the tournament, and being an unsuitable venue because of the desert nation's inhospitable climate.

Now it looks certain that coronavirus and efforts to suppress the pandemic instead will dominate the lead-up.