Football stadiums are usually packed each passing year, but the beautiful game always comes with an ecological footprint, sometimes damaging to the environment.
From generating tonnes of solid wastes that increases the game’s carbon footprint, there’s a need for football authorities all over the world to uphold their environmental stability.
In efforts to maintain sustainability and reduce carbon emissions, Qatar Stars League signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Gulf Organization for Research and Development (GORD) in a new venture aimed at becoming the first football league in the world to go carbon neutral.
QSL CEO Hani Taleb Ballan, and Chairman of the Board of Directors at GORD Yousef Alhorr, signed the agreement at the Al Bidda Tower on Monday.
“Great pleasure to partner with Gulf Organization for Research and Development (GORD) in sustainability and going green. QSL has a responsibility towards the environment and we will be the first football league in the world to go carbon neutral,” Ballan said at the signing.
“The QSL can be a catalyst in preserving the environment and providing the model for generation to come on how change can happen and its importance. We depend on the knowledge of GORD as we have seen their impact in several aspects of society.
“At QSL, it is our vision to be one of the top three league in Asia. To achieve this, we need to seek opportunities that will make us pioneers, not just in words but also in action. We believe in sustainability which is why we are taking the steps to promote it here. As a football family, we believe in what the Supreme Committee have been able to achieve in this area,” he added.
“Sustainability as we know is no longer a passing trend. It is a pressing need of the day. Like other industries, sports sector has also realized the immense potential green practices hold. We are glad to work with the QSL but it will be a long journey to achieve our goals,” Alhorr said.
With over 3,000 players registered at the QFA and over 70,000 fans in recorded attendance annually to QSL matches, efforts at reaching the lofty goal of going carbon neutral will start at stadiums across the country.
“We want to set a trend and inspire other leagues, this is how serious we are about climate change. There are over 3000 players registered with the QFA and over 70,000 fans watch the league across the season, we hope to create awareness during matches and other events. At the end the goal is to be carbon neutral on and off the field,” QSL’s Executive Director of Competitions and Football Development Ahmed Khellil Abbassi said.
Qatar will be the first Arab country to host a FIFA World Cup in 2022. The Khalifa International Stadium has been installed with a district cooling system – saving up to 40 percent of energy compared to conventional cooling -- and is the world’s first open-air air-conditioned stadium. It was awarded a four-star rating by the Global Sustainability Assessment System for this system.
Also recently, Education City Stadium became the first Qatar 2022 tournament venue to receive a five-star rating from the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS).
By Ayeni Olusegun
