Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee Secretary General Hassan Al Thawadi (right) is seen during the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) meeting in Amman, Jordan yesterday. Qatar Football Association (QFA) President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (left) is also seen. PICTURES BY: MOHAMMED DABBOUS
AMMAN, Jordan: The Qatar Football Association (QFA) President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee Secretary General Hassan Al Thawadi yesterday attended the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) meeting in the Jordanian capital.
The WAFF meeting yesterday was chaired by Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, Vice President of FIFA for Asia.
Scores of other top football officials from the region were also present during the meeting.
Matters relating to the development of football were discussed in detail at yesterday’s meeting.
Two days ago, the QFA officially announced the candidature of Al Thawadi for a seat on the FIFA Executive Committee from Asia where the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) remains the continental governing body.
Yesterday’s meeting was also being used to drum up support for Al Thawadi as AFC prepares for presidency election on May 2 in Kuala Lumpur.
Commenting on the announcement, QFA President Sheikh Hamad said: “We firmly believe that Hassan Al Thawadi is the perfect fit to represent the Asian Football Confederation on the FIFA Executive Committee. We are proud to nominate a candidate who brings with him a wealth of experience in a variety of fields and a modern, charismatic approach that can only enhance Asia’s standing in global football.”
Al Thawadi, 34, is most widely recognised for his role as Secretary General for the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, the organisation responsible for co-ordinating among public and private Qatari entities to ensure infrastructure and development projects are delivered in readiness for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
His appointment in March 2011 as Secretary General follows on from his role as Chief Executive Officer in Qatar’s 2022 Bid Committee, in which he worked closely with Bid Chairman, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, promoting Qatar’s revolutionary and ultimately successful attempt to bring the FIFA World Cup to the Middle East for the first time.
A graduate in Law from Sheffield University in England and fluent in four languages, Al Thawadi is also General Counsel at Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Qatar Holding (QH) - entities founded by Qatar in 2005 to diversify the country’s economy and that have recently invested in Porsche, Volkswagen, Barclays Bank, the New York Stock Exchange and Harrods.
Prior to joining QIA in 2006, Al Thawadi worked for Qatar Petroleum.
Al Thawadi also holds board positions with Hassad Food Company (Qatar’s premier worldwide investor/developer in the agriculture and livestock sector) and Katara Hospitality (previously known as Qatar National Hotels).
Al Thawadi’s involvement in Qatari football has included playing for Qatar Sports Club’s youth team and working as a legal representative for Al Sadd Club.
Yesterday’s meeting also takes importance in view of the May 2 elections for AFC presidency battle in Kuala Lumpur
Thailand’s Worawi Makudi will run against West Asian nominees Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Yousef Al Serkal of the UAE and Hafez Al Medlej of Saudi Arabia for the vacant position as president of AFC.
The AFC confirmed the four nominees on Monday.
China’s Zhang Jilong, who has been acting president since Qatar’s Mohamed bin Hammam was suspended by football’s world governing body in May 2011, told China’s official news agency over the weekend that he would not put himself forward to be president.
“The nominations will now be scrutinised and the list of candidates will be sent to the Member Associations one month prior to the Congress in accordance with the AFC Statutes,’’ the AFC said in a statement issued more than 18 hours after the deadline for nominations.
Sheikh Salman has also been nominated for a position on FIFA’s executive committee along with Al Thawadi who will take on the Bahraini in a direct contest for the world body’s executive committee post.
THE PENINSULA
