Doha: Blind and partially sighted football fans will feel fully part of the color, excitement, and action at the opening and closing ceremonies of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – thanks to a unique experience made possible by Qatar Foundation (QF).
Live audio description for the festivities that bring the curtain up and down on the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world will be provided by a team from the Master of Arts in Audiovisual Translation Program at Qatar Foundation member Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Reflecting QF’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, in its support for the World Cup and its overarching mission, the service will also be available for matches throughout the tournament, having first been used at the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021.
Four HBKU commentators who are students and graduates of the Audiovisual Translation Program – two Arabic, two English – will be on duty at each of the opening and closing ceremonies, with 19 covering FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 games.
Audio description for football events involves describing every detail of what is unfolding around the stadium – beyond the movement of the ball and the players – to create a ‘verbal picture’ that enables blind and partially sighted supporters to imagine the scene. The description matches the sounds in the stadium so fans can fully immerse themselves in the experience.
“Accessibility – in access, in knowledge, and in opportunity – is at the core of QF’s mission and its ecosystem, because we believe that, in sport and in life, no barriers should stand in the way of involvement, engagement, and exploration,” said Machaille Hassan Al-Naimi, Strategic Initiatives Executive Officer, Qatar Foundation.
“Across our initiatives, events, and innovations, our support for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 reflects our commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, and to ensuring that everyone – regardless of age, ability, culture, or any other consideration – can enjoy and feel fully part of one of the world’s greatest sporting events.
“Providing audio-description for the tournament’s opening and closing ceremonies, as well as audio-descriptive commentary for its matches – in line with Qatar’s goal of hosting the most accessible FIFA World Cup ever – is just one illustration of how Qatar and QF are using sport to break down barriers, dissolve boundaries, and nurture a culture of accessibility and empowerment that has enduring social benefit within and beyond our nation.”
Dr. Amal Mohammed Al-Malki, Founding Dean of HBKU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, said, “the college was established with a vision to enlighten society in Qatar and the wider world with transformative educational experiences that bridge disciplinary boundaries and offer the academic community opportunities to engage in innovative research and collaboration”.
“Students of the Master of Arts in Audiovisual Translation program are involved in projects that catalyze change and disability-inclusive transformation in Qatar through collaborations with museums, film producers, and institutions in Qatar,” she said.
“Our most recent collaboration is with FIFA to provide audio-description services during the opening and closing ceremonies, making the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 accessible to blind and visually impaired fans. The Translation and Training Center is in partnership with Qatar 2022 and the Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE) to train a number of enthusiastic youth who went through intensive training and thorough assessments to provide audio-descriptive commentary during the matches of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021, and who will volunteer their time and services again during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”
Preparations for live audio description to be provided at the tournament have seen 19 volunteers complete training provided by HBKU’s Translation and Training Center, in partnership with the Centre for Access to Football in Europe, to equip them to deliver the service to blind and partially sighted people. Audio description requires a high level of skill and technique, with commentators needing to concentrate their voice, manage their speaking speed, and match what they are saying with the sounds of the stadium – as well as knowing when not to speak so listeners can envisage the scene.
Fans will be able to access the audio description of the opening and closing matches and the audio-descriptive commentary through the FIFA interpreting app, which is available on the iOS App store and Google Play Store.
QF has unveiled a line-up of events and activities that will be taking place at Education City ahead of and during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – and which are open for everyone to enjoy. QF’s World Cup campaign, ‘It’s Only Football if it’s For All’, reflects how the tournament is intended to be the most accessible FIFA World Cup ever, and how QF is dedicated to providing inclusive opportunities for everyone to explore and benefit from.
