Volunteers play key role in IHF Super Globe success

Minister of Youth and Sports HE Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali and IHF president Dr Hassan Moustafa with the youngest 2014 IHF Super Globe volunteer, 15-year-old Mohamed Mahmoud Saffar.

By Sports Reporter/Doha

The IHF Super Globe Championship began with an exciting round of matches and a spectacular opening ceremony on Sunday.

Working alongside the organisers was a team of volunteers from across Qatar, who assisted with accreditation, spectator services, showed guests to their seats, helped manage behind the scenes activities, and carried out a wide range of roles during the event. In total, some 150 people are volunteering at the Championship, helping to showcase the very best in Qatari hospitality.

Qatar 2015 Organising Committee director general Dr Thani Abdulrahman al-Kuwari said, “World-class sporting events such as the IHF Super Globe Championship require a team effort, and we have been delighted with the commitment shown by our volunteers. It shows the strong enthusiasm for sport in Qatar and the wider region, and provides us with great experience for hosting future events in our country, particularly the Qatar 2015 24th Men’s Handball World Championship taking place early next year.”

During their visit on the first day of the event, Minister of Youth and Sports HE Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali, International Handball Federation president Dr Hassan Moustafa, Qatar Handball Association president Ahmed al-Shaabi and Dr al-Kuwari met with a number of volunteers, and also congratulated one of the youngest members of the team, 15-year-old Mohamed Mahmoud Saffar.

Expressing his enthusiasm about his involvement as a volunteer, Saffar said, “Being a volunteer here is great. I have had a chance to see some of the best local and international players and this experience has taught me so much about the game of handball and the way in which such events are organised. I look forward to volunteering at the Qatar 2015 Men’s Handball World Championship taking place in Qatar next year as well.”

The Volunteer Programme has been building the required teams for the upcoming handball events and will be recruiting 1500 volunteers from across the region and Qatar for the Qatar 2015 Men’s Handball World Championship.

It will provide training to all registered for the programme as they divide volunteer teams to work across a range of areas, including accommodation, accreditation, airport services, doping control, media and broadcasting, protocol, spectator services, transport, uniforms and workforce.