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The overwhelming success of the expert planning, comprehensive testing and medical protocols put in place for the AFC Champions League (East) and Final held in Doha, Qatar ensured the health protection of all players, match officials and stakeholders.
Working in close co-operation with the Qatar Football Association (QFA), the Qatari Authorities, especially the medical teams, and the Local Organising Committee (LOC), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) conducted 12,139 tests between November 9 and December 19, 2020 and no positive tests were recorded among those in the bio-secure bubble.
The strict application of the ‘AFC Match Operations Protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic’ proved extremely effective during the AFC Champions League which was won by Ulsan Hyundai FC of Korea Republic in Saturday’s final at the Al Janoub Stadium – watched by the AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa along with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The introduction by the AFC and the LOC of a stringent set of health protocols, taking guidance from the key operational principles applied to all local football events in Qatar, also allowed spectators up to 30% of the stadium capacity the opportunity to witness the Continental club showpiece ‘live’.
And a further 10,000 Rapid Antigen tests were conducted to ensure that the spectators could attend the exciting final with confidence. All the tests carried out returned negative results.
The AFC Champions League (East) also enjoyed another milestone when the first women Medical Officers – Dr. Zohreh Haratian and Dr. Bahar Hassanmiraei, from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Janis Ann Figueroa Espino-De Vera, from the Philippines and Dr. Liesel Geertsema of New Zealand – were appointed in an AFC men’s club competition as part of the nine-strong AFC Medical team.
With Qatar staging the FIFA Club World Cup in February and the FIFA Arab Cup later in 2021, the AFC Champions League provided the perfect rehearsal and Nasser Al Khater, Chief Executive Officer, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ LLC said, “By staging the AFC Champions League West and East Zone matches up to the Final itself, Qatar has set the benchmark in hosting tournaments of this magnitude, across multiple venues, and within strict bubble-to-bubble measures,” said Nasser Al Khater, Chief Executive Officer, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC.
“The efforts and diligence of multiple stakeholders across several months, coupled with the implementation of seamless health and safety protocols, enabled the safe resumption of football with thousands of supporters in the stadium in spite of the challenges posed by COVID-19. We are hopeful we have created a blueprint for the wider football family around future global events against the current COVID-19 backdrop,” Al Khater added.
