Asia is at heart of the matter for Al Thawadi

Published: 02 May 2013 - 01:16 am | Last Updated: 03 Feb 2022 - 07:50 am

Qatar’s Hassan Al Thawadi gestures while talking to officials at Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday. RIGHT: Al Thawadi (left), Yousef Al Serkal (centre) of the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar Football Association President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani smile during a conversation at the hotel. Al Thawadi and Al Serkal, who are running for the FIFA’s Executive Committee and AFC Presidency roles respectively, will learn their fate whether they have been elected in today’s elections.

BY RIZWAN REHMAT

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: The development of football in Asia is at the heart of the matter for Qatar’s Hassan Al Thawadi who is bidding to win a seat on FIFA’s all-powerful Executive Committee.

Al Thawadi, competing with Bahrain’s Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa in the two-horse race set to be decided today, wants the world’s most populous continent thriving on a football pitch.

The one-time anonymous lawyer also seeks greater Asian representation at FIFA.

“My job is to reach out to Asia,” Al Thawadi, just 34, said with his trademark exuberance.

“I want the game in Asia to begin a new era of popularity. I have the confidence that this could be done,” Al Thawadi said at Mandarin Oriental Hotel where the Asian football family is busy lobbying for key votes.

Today, the same venue will be the centre of attention when the 47-member Asian Football Confederation (AFC) sits down to vote for a new president and a member who would get a seat on the FIFA Executive Committee.

Those contesting the AFC Presidency race are Bahrain’s Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Thailand’s Dato’ Worawi Makudi and UAE’s Yousef Al Serkal.

Al Thawadi, however, can’t be distracted.

“Right now my focus is to get the confidence of the AFC members,” Al Thawadi said as his team headed by Sheikh Hamad bin Khlifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, the Qatar Football Association (QFA) chief, got busy with meetings.

“I have faith that I will give something new to Asian soccer,” the young Qatari, who speaks Spanish, French, Arabic and English fluently, said.

“Mine is a pragmatic approach. I want to develop the game that Asia likes the most,” he added standing in the middle of a huddle of Doha-based and international media. Al Thawadi smartly distanced himself from questions regarding the intense lobbying for votes but he said: “I have faith in my ability to deliver on my promises. I have built a case for myself because of the support I get from various quarters. I have got good advice from many people throughout my career.”

The architect of Qatar’s successful 2022 FIFA World Cup bid, that was won in December 2010, said Asian football was set to embrace a new era of popularity and growth.

“We are approaching a new era in Asian football,” he said.“The number of young athletes (football players) in Asia is increasingly rapidly and while this phenomenon grows up on us, we should be ready for it,” he warned. Al Thawadi underlined the importance of ‘uniting Asia’ as it prepares to become a leader in the sport.

“Asia’s strength is in its diversity. We have 60 percent of the world’s population living in this continent,” Al Thawadi said as he delivered his key message one more time.

“Most of Europe looks to Asia as its biggest market,” Al Thawadi said sporting a bright coloured full-sleeve shirt in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel lobby.

“Three of the six FIFA Partners are based in Asia (and) yet we have only 17 percent representation on FIFA Committees. I pledge to take every possible step to increase Asian representation within FIFA, to ensure our contribution to the global growth of football,” the young Qatari said to reporters.

“I believe that the process of enhancing our stature at FIFA begins in Asia.

“In collaboration with national associations and my AFC colleagues on the FIFA Executive Committee, we will train and recruit representatives from across Asia to staff these crucial FIFA Committees, in line with Asia’s goal of becoming a global football power - on the field and at FIFA,” the Qatari added.

“There’s no reason why we can’t harness this strength, to build Asian football into a global powerhouse. The only way we can do it is by being united and by moving in one direction,” he said yesterday.

“We need to address the needs of every nation and grow together,” Al Thawadi pointed out.

“Working with the AFC President, the member associations, and colleagues on the FIFA Executive Committee, I will work to expand Asian representation at FIFA, create opportunities for education at all levels of the game, accelerate football development, and use football as an engine for economic growth across our continent,” he promised.

Last week in Doha, Al Thawadi sketched his blueprint for Asia, saying effective governance and greater transparency were central to any strategy for increasing efficiency within sports bodies.

When asked if he deserved to win today’s election bid, Al Thawadi said: “The FIFA ExCo seat is of monumental importance. It’s a four-year term and the focus should be on the person who is most qualified to represent Asia.” THE PENINSULA

Key points in Al Thawadi’s campaign

n Enhanced representation for the AFC within FIFA with the aim of working toward fulfilling Asia’s latent potential to contribute to the growth of the football globally.

n A focus on educational initiatives throughout football – to provide players in the region with a future in the game beyond their playing careers, to create links between educational institutions and the national associations throughout Asia and to provide increased access to courses for administrators and officials – all with the aim of contributing to the sustainable growth of football within Asia.

n Optimising existing development projects with an emphasis on ensuring that existing initiatives and any developed in the future are carefully tailored to the specific needs and requirements of each member association.

Biography

Hassan Al Thawadi, 34, currently serves as Secretary General of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, the organisation responsible for coordinating between public and private entities in Qatar to ensure delivery of infrastructure and development projects for a successful 2022 FIFA World Cup.

n His appointment in March 2011 as Secretary General followed his role as Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar 2022 Bid Committee.

n Trained as a lawyer, Al Thawadi has been widely recognised for his contributions in the fields of sports, business and law. Sport Business named him as a “Top 20 Innovator in Sport”. Gulf Business called him one of the “Top 100 World’s Most Influential Arabs”, while Arabian Business included him on a list of the “Power 500 World’s Most Influential Arabs. Legal Business hailed him as one of their “Top 30 Lawyers Under 40”.

n Al Thawadi serves as General Counsel of Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Qatar Holding (QH) – entities founded by Qatar in 2005 to diversify the country’s economy – that have invested in Porsche, Volkswagen, Barclays Bank, the New York Stock Exchange and Harrods, among other global entities.

n Al Thawadi holds board positions with Hassad Food Company (Qatar’s premier worldwide investor in the agriculture and livestock sector), Katara Hospitality (Qatar’s leading hospitality owner, manager and developer), and Qatar Rail.

n His involvement in Qatari football has included playing for Al Sadd and working as a Legal Counsel for Al Sadd from 2006 until 2009.

n To work toward creating the best environment for commercial and administrative success across the continent – maximising the existing commercial potential that Asian football has in abundance.