Capturing and constructing on the experiences of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the State of Qatar and World Well being Group in the present day launched a brand new report offering classes discovered and suggestions for staging wholesome and secure mega and grassroots sporting occasions around the globe.
The report, titled Altering the Recreation: Strengthening Well being and Effectively-Being by Sport Occasions, is the product of the 3-year Sport for Well being partnership established in 2021 by Qatar and WHO, in collaboration with FIFA and Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Supply and Legacy, to ship and make sure the legacy of a wholesome and secure FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. It was launched throughout a Ministerial occasion titled Strengthening Well being and Effectively-being By way of Sport Occasions, held in Doha throughout the ongoing 71st WHO Jap Mediterranean Regional Committee.
H.E. Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Well being for Qatar, stated: “The collaboration between Qatar, WHO and FIFA can encourage organisers of main international sporting occasions to combine well being into the planning and execution of their occasions.”
“The Sport for Well being mannequin displays a dedication to harness the transformative energy of mega-sports occasions to create lasting enhancements in public well being and well-being,” stated Dr Al Kuwari. “This report particulars our collaborative effort – a brand new mannequin that unites nations, worldwide organisations, and sports activities federations in a shared mission.”
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-Basic, stated the brand new report demonstrated the ability of sports activities – and sporting occasions – to empower individuals to steer more healthy lives, bodily and mentally.
“As soon as once more, we see that well being promotion, well being advocacy and well being safety could be seamlessly mainstreamed into the staging of mega sport occasions,” stated Dr Tedros. “WHO is dedicated to making sure that sporting occasions proceed for use as highly effective drivers for sustainable well being.”
Mr Mutaz Barshim, Qatari Olympic high-jump champion, stated: “Sport has the unparalleled capacity to encourage, unite, and rework lives. By selling each bodily and psychological well-being throughout the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, the Sport for Well being initiative has proven how sport can result in more healthy lives for everybody, setting a useful mannequin for future international occasions.”
The Sport for Well being Partnership culminated within the staging of a spread of health-related actions throughout the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, coping with well being promotion (tobacco management, wholesome diets, psychological well being, and bodily exercise), well being safety, and advocacy and communications.
A evaluation was undertaken of the 3-year mission and produced a spread of suggestions that included the significance of:
- Growing memorandums of understanding with the non-public well being sector – together with hospitals and well being care suppliers – earlier than main occasions to set the muse for efficient collaboration;
- Involving all related authorities and our bodies in resolution making, planning, and implementation;
- Growing and reviewing complete plans and procedures to boost security at mega sports activities occasions, then testing them with an equally complete coaching programme and collection of main incident drills.
- Establishing mechanisms to strengthen compliance with public well being and social measures and different established public well being protocols.
The Sport for Well being partnership was launched to assist efforts to guard well being throughout and past the match, in order that guests, gamers, employees and residents might have a secure and pleasant time. The partnership additionally targeted on advocating to enhance well being past sport, benefiting from the World Cup and its legacy by associating it with a spread of programmes selling bodily exercise, wholesome diet, and wholesome way of life decisions. This report captures the training course of and outcomes of the partnership, and presents up the Wholesome FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 mission as a mannequin to be tailor-made throughout future sport occasions.
 
