Defining a nation through sport is a time-honoured tradition. Australia has been doing it for years, so have New Zealand and many others.
It often gives smaller countries the chance to upset and defeat larger ones, it can build patriotism and national goodwill, and it can inspire a nation’s people to not only dream but dream big.
It can put a country on the world stage and has many cultural, political, social and wider economic benefits.
Sport is not the only vehicle to enhance a country’s reputation, but it is a common, peaceful and popular one.
While Australia might have been doing this for the best part of the past 70 years, the tiny Middle Eastern nation of Qatar has only recently embarked on this path.
But there is no patience or reticence in its approach. Qatar, the oil-rich country of just under two million people, is desperate to make up for lost time.
It is hell-bent on becoming a big player in the world of sport and it has the resources to achieve that goal.
Qatar is now home to the ATP Tennis Tournament Doha, the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, the FIM Moto Racing World Championships, the FEI Equestrian Global Champions Tour, the WTA Tour Tennis Championships, IAAF Diamond League, the IHF Handball Super Globe, the Tour of Qatar and the FIVB Club World Championships.
It has failed in hosting bids for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games and the 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships, but in recent years it has staged the Asian Cup and the IAAF World Indoor Championships.
It is getting ready for another shot at the Summer Olympic Games.
In 2014 it will host the FINA Short Course World Championships, in 2015 the IHF Handball World Championships and of course, the jewel in the crown, the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Qatar’s capture of the biggest sporting event on the planet still astounds, amazes and enrages many, and so it should.
How can a country stage a World Cup in oppressive weather conditions, with little infrastructure and no footballing pedigree?
How can a country with a history of poor sports attendance (see the 2011 Asian Cup and Tour of Qatar crowds) and an alcohol ban host global football’s pride and joy?
These questions have yet to be answered.
But if you thought the Qataris would stop with their successful World Cup bid, you would be mistaken.
They will host the UCI’s Road Cycling World Championships in 2016, and have already bought big clubs in Spain’s Primera Liga and France’s Ligue 1.
They have established links with the best football club in the world, Barcelona, and are eyeing other European outfits.
They are expanding their own football league, the Qatar Stars League, which has previously featured top players such as Pep Guardiola and Gabriel Batistuta.
The national team is currently ranked 104th in the world and have naturalised many players from other countries to play for them, such as the Brazilians Fabio Cesar and Marcone, and the Uruguayan Sebastian Soria.
Qatar has powerful friends like Nicolas Sarkozy, and as one of the richest countries in the world, it has the finances to buy more power and influence.
All this comes from a country with no history of sporting excellence or background. You would be hard placed to name a single great Qatari athlete or world champion.
The country won just two bronze medals at the London Olympics – one in the men’s high jump and one in the men’s skeet shooting.
The ruling Al Thani family want events like the World Cup to start a legacy in the country, to develop better sportsmen and women, and encourage others to take up sport.
Part of the masterplan is to produce world-class facilities that will help Qatari athletes reach world sport’s competitive peaks.
Surely there is also something in the healing power of sport that they hope will project a positive image of the nation, and help keep the constitutional monarchy in power.
Qatar has already established itself in the media world with the broadcaster Al Jazeera. Sport is next on the agenda, and giant strides have already been made.
There seems little stopping the Qatari sporting juggernaut, as sport’s amateur links and ideals wither, and professionalism, money and business take centre stage.
Follow John on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
Kaak
Guest
Guys ... it’s a matter of time, US has given this hosting opportunity to Qatar for few year until the regional political issues that Qatar is handling on behalf of the US & the Gas supply to the US is sorted out, then things will be back to track... as the guy above said, if you wanna watch WC 2022 find you way to the states.
vinie
Guest
Fussy Aussies are the biggest whingers in sport, and the posters of this thread prove it all, the main message of this article is how a small nation with alot of ambition and passion to build a nation is using their natural resources to fund this dream, sounds a bit like our country australia, Yet all you people whinge about is blah blah blah why is the world cup in Qatar, im glad we lost, we dont deserve it, we will have our turn one day, until then lets stop judging the host on its merits, australia is just lucky and blessed with land and weather, but its cursed with AFL and NRL which has always held football as a second class sport, and our downfall for still being newbies in the football world in the 21st century.
Andy_Roo
Roar Guru
Qatar and the UAE have inveted an enormous amount of money into making their copuntries tourist destinations. This is their master plan for when the oil money runs out. And Sports tourism is a large part of that. As for the world cup and selling tickets it won't be a problem. Qatar is relatively close to Europe and they can expect huge numbers of football fans to come. The only problem I can see for Qatar and the UAE is the ban on alcohol. Perhaps there will be limited amounts available for those special events like the world cup or the olympics.
Jaredsbro
Roar Guru
I really like the idea now. Once upon a time I wanted Australia to have it, but Australia is effectively the hinterland for FIFA. By that I mean you guys have already been won over to the code, otherwise how did you get into Asia? And then why is Asia all one confederation, the Greeks never imagined all of what we now all Asia was all called Asia. It should be divided into three: Middle East hopefully with Israel one day as well, Central Asia/South Asia/ East and South East Asia. Australia will have its turn, but I don't think the Middle East would ever get another chance.
Jaredsbro
Roar Guru
Wow I'm actually in agreeance with you Fuss ;) Yet despite the dangers of it, frankly the Middle East probably needs it. And more importantly they won't have it forever. There's no possible way they will remain the richest countries per head of population beyond the Petroleum era, so why not do something different? In terms of growing the game it's a real big deal. Aussies are just sore because of losing the chance to host it...which should happen eventually. You don't want to end up like England building a decade of sport only to lose the greatest jewel in the crown because of the Francophone alliance. And there is always the night game possibility.
AGO74
Guest
MBH only got ousted because he had the audacity to challenge Blatter for FIFA president. His expulsion had nothing to do with 2022. There are too many people on the take at FIFA that any investigation about Qatar being awarded the cup will be swept under the rug.
Cappuccino
Roar Guru
There are so many other problems, accommodation is a pretty minor issue. But I'm pretty sure Doha does have enough anyway- half the city is empty skyscrapers yet to be filled.
Cappuccino
Roar Guru
As nice as this would all be, I don't think this would happen. The Gulf States would stage a minor mutiny if FIFA suddenly moved to the US, and FIFA are too set in their ways. Anyway, the Qatari cheque has probably already been cashed in, so too late now...
Cappuccino
Roar Guru
Ha, true $epp and co. can find ways other than ticketing to make money. But seriously, they should be worried. It's going to look really bad when Slovenia is playing Honduras in some group stage match and the stadium's 3/4 empty.
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
The architects have abandon the idea of constructing air conditioning stadiums. Stating that the engineering and construction would not work properly and would be too expensive. Have since stated---the architects now favour giant fan tunnels as the new concept to cool the stadiums.
Andyroo
Guest
Will they have enough hotel rooms? I really worry they would stuff up transport, tickets and accommodation. Some People who had tickets for the Asian cup final were locked out .... if I had spent a few grand in flights and accommodation I would be livid. If I could trust that I would get what I paid for then I think it would be a decent World Cup. It wouldn't be a great party like Brazil or a European cup but because Qatar is so small you could go to a lot of games. I'm too scared of getting dudded though as I can imagine being told games are sold out but they only end up being half full. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
TKC----yes I agree the first step was to get rid of BH. Now for plan B) to find evidence that, the Qatari WC bid was full of bribes. C) then to award it to the USA on short notice. This has a long way still to go.
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party
Guest
They are very fickle as well,i remember when Qatar were losing in the first game of the Asian Cup and half the stadium walked out.
The Kebab Connoisseur
Guest
Qatar will not stage the 2022 World Cup simply because the truth on how they got it will come out and the FIFA members will not accept it. Bin Hamman already has a life ban. The Qatari FA may end up receiving a 10 year ban from FIFA. If you intend to go to the 2022, book for USA, not the mid east.
Kylesy Sky Blues Fan
Guest
Fifa don't care about that - what's wrong with you! They only care that Qa$ar are funneling big dollars into their personal accounts for doing diddly!
Bondy.
Guest
Mid west aisia wants to be a serious player in world sports not only football . She the nation see's herself as the new modern frontier of global sports and will do anything to get major events there . The emir of Qatar "seen on stage for the world cup " is as powerful as the queen of england most people here in AUS dont realise that and has all the heads of world affairs at he's disposal and my head of state supports Footscray. Also off topic I dont like these double headered friday night games,we only have five and they play two on the same evening,i'll work it out one day.
Cappuccino
Roar Guru
Well, it would take an INCREDIBLE amount of electricity. And it'd be very difficult to keep a structure with a huge open-top roof from loosing all the cool air. So we aren't making it sound extravagant and irresponsible, it IS extravagant and environmentally irresponsible.
jbinnie
Guest
Fuss Careful my friend you are using almost word for word the same argument that was put up when they held the World Cup in Mexico in the mddle of summer all those years ago when they had games starting at midday to suit the TV people who were screening worldwide. Come to think of it a Sydney journalist of some standing said the same thing when I wrote we should play or pro.football in our summer. No one died. Your pal jb (Thanks for your kind wishes,much appreciated jb)
Cappuccino
Roar Guru
Not only will heat and Qatar's backwards homophobic and misogynist laws be an issue, but crowd attendances are likely to be the lowest in years. Qatar's population is around 1.4 million (many of these are not citizens, but rather underpaid Indian workers) and FIFA has stated that a total of 3.3 million tickets will be on sale for 2022. Around 600-700 thousand fans usually travel to a World Cup, leaving us with around 2 million people in Qatar for the 2022 event. That means that every single man, woman and child, as well as all the underpaid foreign workers, will have to attend at least one game, and many will have to attend at least two, in order for most of the 3.3 million tickets to sell. Typically, around 97% of tickets sell at a World Cup- I really can't see that happening in 2022, especially when Asian Cup 2011 had the lowest average crowd in since the 1990s.
Cameron
Guest
But what happens to their sporting masterplan when all the oil runs out?