Jeddah, 6 November 2022 (TDI): The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has denounced any criticism against Qatar for hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022. The competition is scheduled to begin on November 20 and conclude on December 18.
As the first OIC Member State to hold such a significant event, OIC Secretary-General; Hissein Brahim Taha reiterated the OIC’s support for Qatar in fending off attacks against its hosting.
According to Taha, “this has human and worldwide meaning and attempts to foster a feeling of interdependence and solidarity among nations of the world.”
Adding to this, the OIC statement followed comments made by German Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser. “It would be preferable if such states were not given tournament awards because there are requirements that must be met,” she said.
As Qatar gets ready to host the tournament, Taha added that the OIC considers this recent attack as “not just terrible but also the first time a host country of this tournament is facing this degree of claims and criticism.”
Moreover, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) General Secretariat condemned the German Interior Minister’s comments and reaffirmed its support for Doha.
Legacy
In this regard, OIC Secretary-General took note of the legacy left by this event for the Arab and Muslim youth. The Generation Amazing (GA) platform, the Josoor Institute’s youth training, and development programmes, and volunteer programmes.
These are just a few youth initiatives that the impending hosting will support, he emphasized once more.
All of this, according to the OIC Secretary-General, strengthens collective Islamic action initiatives in the area of youth and sports.
This will inspire young people to work towards noble goals that will benefit all people and merit appreciation rather than condemnation.