The AFC Asian Cup draw ceremony took place at the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday, attended by His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmad Al Thani, president of the Qatar Football Association (QFA).

Qatar was drawn with Iran, UAE and Bahrain in Group C, while hosts Australia face South Korea, Oman and Kuwait in Group A. 

China was drawn with North Korea, Saudia Arabia and Uzbekistan in Group B. Group D is comprised of Japan, Jordan, Iraq and the AFC Challenge Cup 2014 winners.

On the eve of the draw, Sheikh Hamad confirmed his attendance at the Soccerex Asian Forum.

Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie said: “It’s a great honour to welcome Sheikh Hamad to the Asian Forum, with Qatar being an example of the rapid growth of football within Asia; we’re delighted to be able to offer our delegates the opportunity to network and do business with one of the most influential footballing administrators on the planet.”

Re-elected to another four-year term late last year, Sheikh Hamad was at the helm of the association when the country won the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. 

One of the central figures behind the development of the commercial aspect of the game in Asia, Sheikh Hamad oversaw a number of major sponsorship deals for the association as well as the Q-League, including agreements with Qatar Airways, QNB Group and Aamal. 

Soccerex Asian Forum, organized in partnership with the Asian Football Development Project (AFDP), takes place on 13-14 May at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, situated on the banks of The Dead Sea, Jordan.

For more information about AFC Asia Cup visit the www.afcasiancup.com

For further details about the Soccerex Asian Forum please contact Soccerex on +44 208 987 5522 or visit www.soccerex.com

The official Overlay and Temporary Structures Provider to Glasgow 2014 has revealed that it is working closely with the Organising Committee to design and install more than 230 structures covering an area exceeding 20,800 m2.

As Glasgow 2014’s Exclusive Temporary Seating Provider, the Arena Seating team has been tasked with delivering every single temporary seat at the Games, around 22,000 in total across 10 venues. The seating team will also be installing camera platforms, wheelchair access platforms, press positions and commentator platforms.

Dave Withey, sales and marketing director, Arena UK & Europe, said “We’ve been collaborating closely with the Glasgow 2014 overlay team to design temporary solutions which make the most of each venue, providing the space and infrastructure they require, without permanent construction.”

The temporary infrastructure project that will be finished first is the official merchandise shop in a Glasgow City Centre location. Arena Group will start building this at the beginning of June.

At the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Arena Group will be supplementing the existing 2,000 seats within the venue with an additional 1,700.  Arena Group will face the challenge of creating perfect sight lines for a challenging sloped field of play, using its trademark "clearview" system.

Contours will also be a challenge at the new Cathkin Braes Mountain Bike Trails venue, where Arena Group will be providing VIP seating at the finish line and structures for athletes, officials and security, all designed to fit against the slopes of Cathkin Braes and provide stunning views of the city. 

The clearview system will also be deployed at the Kelvingrove Lawn Bowls Centre, where Arena Group will create a temporary seating stadium and Arena Structures will provide the press, sponsor, security and doping tents.

At the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre Precinct (SECC) Arena Group will work with the venue and Glasgow 2014 supplying the seats for Gymnastics, Boxing, Judo, Netball, Wrestling and Weightlifting/Powerlifting.

On the East coast, Arena Group is solely responsible for all temporary seating and structures at the Barry Buddon Shooting Range. Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool, built for the 1970 Commonwealth Games, will be kitted out with structures for the security, athletes and officials. 

Scotstoun Sports Campus will host both the Squash and Table Tennis competitions, with Arena Group providing structures to the venue and seating stands for the table tennis and existing squash courts.

Arena Group will also create temporary grandstands across three courts at the new Glasgow National Hockey Centre and provide grandstands and all supporting tentage for the triathlon events at Strathclyde Loch. 

For Glasgow’s Tollcross Swimming Pool, Arena Group has created a bespoke temporary seating system carefully designed to the fit the confines of the venue’s mezzanine level.

“We have a strong legacy of working within the city and neighbouring Edinburgh, and know many of the venues extremely well, such as the SECC where we have a relationship spanning over 20 years. This knowledge and experience has been extremely useful, enabling us to deliver designs quickly and to spec,” said Withey.

“These designs are now almost finalised and we’re looking forward to being back in Glasgow to start the installation. We’re one step closer to helping deliver one of the best Commonwealth Games in history.”

Major delays to Rio 2016 Olympic Games projects leave no room for further hold-ups, while responsibilities and funding for projects must be clarified to avoid problems in delivering the Games, the IOC said on Friday. 

The Organising Committee president Carlos Nuzman admitted there is “not a minute to lose”.

At the conclusion of the IOC’s Coordination Commission visit, chair Nawal El Moutawakel said “The Rio 2016 Olympic Games have a great potential for being a very exciting event which leaves many legacies. But although progress is being made, each decision that is postponed and each subsequent delay will have a negative impact on delivery – total focus and dedication are therefore required.”

In a strongly-worded public statement, the IOC said “Every second counts… The delivery timelines of some of the venues for test events and the Games have faced delays and now leave no margin for any further slippages.”

Nuzman said “We enter this crucial phase of our journey without a minute to lose, and certain that our partners in government share this vision”.

Rounding up a full day of site visits to the Barra and Deodoro clusters, the Coordination Commission made it clear that decisive action is required to avoid setbacks, saying “A number of important decisions remain to be made.”

A crucial meeting between the federal authorities and key Games stakeholders has been called on 27th March in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, where “it is expected that the responsibilities for each Games related project will be clarified along with the associated funding in order to avoid further significant delays in the delivery of the project.”

The Coordination Commission did, however, acknowledge that the organising committee has made progress in a number of areas since its last visit in September 2013 and IOC President Bach’s visit in February 2014. 

The overall venue masterplan has been finalised, the event’s “lifetime budget” has been validated and federal government efforts have been integrated under President Rousseff’s Chief of Staff, Aloizio Mercadante.

The commission also commended city authorities for rapid progress since taking over responsibility for the second Olympic Park in Deodoro, where construction work has yet to begin.

During its three day tour, the commission received updates from the organisers and their partners in areas such as athletes and National Olympic Committees (NOC) services, sport and international federations’ services, venues and infrastructure, accommodation, media operations, spectators, ticketing, transport, test events, marketing, and the Paralympic Games.

The IOC visit overlapped with a tour of World Cup venues by FIFA officials, who are currently in Brazil. Many 2014 World Cup projects are behind schedule.

The coordination commission’s next visit to Rio de Janeiro takes place in September 2014.

Delays and uncertainty over World Cup stadiums have motivated FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke to make a special visit to Rio de Janeiro  from 24 to 27 March, bringing an early end to a technical tour of host cities that began on Thursday 20 March.

“Any envisaged on-site host city visits will be rescheduled to the next tour planned for the end of April,” said FIFA in a statement. 

Concerned about overlay projects and three unfinished stadiums, Valcke is travelling to Rio de Janeiro for a series of meetings. The visit culminates in a board meeting of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and media briefing at the Maracana Stadium.

“This is the last occasion for the organizers to take stock of the operational preparations before the respective FIFA World Cup installations begin to be implemented in all 12 host cities,” said FIFA.

The LOC is currently taking FIFA’s technical experts on a tour of stadiums in Sao Paulo, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Cuiaba, Manaus and Natal – the six venues that did not feature in last year’s Confederations Cup. The tour was due to conclude in Natal on 26th March after a visit to Manaus on 24th March, but these two site visits now look set to be postponed to April.

“This inspection tour will be fundamental to consolidate operational plans and for each area to confirm the operations they have planned over the last few years,” said LOC Stadiums Operations Manager Tiago Paes.

The tour involves LOC and FIFA representatives from the areas of competition, press operations, broadcasting, protocol, communications, IT, spectator services, security, medical services, transport, catering, volunteers, hospitality and stadiums operations.

FIFA had originally requested that all venues be finished by December 2013, but three remain under construction. Itaquerao stadium in Sao Paulo and Curitiba's Arena da Baixada are now unlikely to be finished until the middle of May – just a month before the opening match in Sao Paulo. Cuaiba’s Arena Pantanal is due to open in April. 

The pitch at Manaus is also undergoing emergency repairs after the turf was damaged by excessive use of fertilizer. Manaus hosts England and Italy’s first World Cup fixture.

Valcke has reportedly voiced concerns about responsibility for temporary infrastructure. Local newspaper Estado de Sao Paulo said Valcke is concerned that some cities are refusing to pay for temporary items such as security equipment and temporary structures for media, volunteers and sponsors, causing delays to overlay works.

A secret report by the Brazilian government specifies security risks in half of Brazil’s 12 host cities. 

The concerns outlined in the report, which is based on consultation with members of the public and was leaked to O Globo, include the risk of strikes and protest.

Rio de Janeiro suffers from “a difficult relationship between public authorities and society”, the report says. And in Sao Paulo, a “potential problem” identified is a $25m budget cut for the military police.

The government is also concerned that civil servants could strike in Belo Horizonte, which might “fuel protests”.  In the northeast, unrest between farm workers and indigenous groups is mentioned as another area of concern. 

The report also says “opposition parties are attempting to wreck the image” of the Governor of Brasilia, Agnelo Queiroz. Concerns are also raised over the safety of teams and visitors, according to O Globo.

President Dilma Rousseff’s office described the report as preliminary and inconclusive, saying that the information published in O Globo was neither official nor verified. 

Brazil’s sports minister Aldo Rebelo has also played down such concerns. "The possibility of protest during the World Cup is very limited,” he told The Guardian on Monday. 

“People are more interested in celebrating the World Cup. Peaceful protests are protected by the constitution. Violent protests are forbidden by law and they are matters for the police to deal with."

Nonetheless, Brazilian authorities will be keen to pre-empt and avoid any potential for further civil unrest, in the wake of the striking and protesting that took place in several cities during last year’s Confederations Cup.

Security concerns are also highlighted by the announcement earlier this week that Brazil is to establish “no fly zones” of a 7km radius over each stadium on World Cup match days, despite major disruption to travel.

The Qatari government is set to sign up to $50bn in infrastructure contracts over the course of 2014, according to Sheikh Abdullah bin Saud al-Thani. This represents a massive escalation in construction activity as the 2022 FIFA World Cup draws nearer.

The contracts will include transport and energy projects. A tender for phase one of the Doha Metro has already been issued, according to unnamed sources speaking to Reuters, with a contract expected to be signed by the end of August. 

The $50bn figure, announced by Sheikh Al-Thani at the Qatar Projects 2014 show organised by Meed Events, significantly exceeds previous estimates. Speaking a month before the event, Edmund O’ Sullivan, the chairman of Meed Events said contract awards for big infrastructure projects in Qatar in 2014 were “likely to hit $24bn”.

The recent upturn in spending follows a slow start to the world’s biggest infrastructure project. 

According to Reuters, state spending rose by just 2.2 per cent in the year up to March 2013, while a government report projects state spending to rise by 11.6 per cent in 2014.

"Even with Qatar's means and ambitions, the resources of time, space and human capital are not endless, especially when concentrated on a mere 10 per cent of its soil,” Tilman Engel, managing director of Sport Business Consulting International told HOST CITY. 

Engel advised and directed the Qatar professional football league from 2007 to 2009, during their process of reorganisation and professionalisation in line with AFC and FIFA directives. “Given the enormity of both the World Cup and the National Vision 2030, it is no day too soon for Qatar to launch the projects key to make both visions work."

Infrastructure projects in Qatar accelerated over the course of 2013, overtaking the UAE midway through the year with $12.2bn of contracts awarded, said O’Sullivan. “The bulk… came from the multi-billion-dollar tunnelling packages awarded as part of the Doha metro project.”

On winning the host city election for the 2022 World Cup in 2010, Qatar stated that it would spend $140bn on civic and sporting infrastructure. This figure was soon upgraded, with a report by Deloitte in September 2013 stating that Qatar plans to spend $140bn over the next five years on transport alone.

$200bn is due to be spent over the next 10 years on construction. A further $20bn is to be spent on tourism infrastructure to prepare for the influx of football fans, the Deloitte report said. Since then, an investment of $45bn into tourism by 2030 has been announced.

Five cities have submitted their application files for the Winter Olympic Games by the deadline of Friday 14 March. The IOC Executive Board has until 9 July to select the successful candidate cities.

While safety concerns have exerted a major influence on recent hosting decisions, individuality will the critical factor for future host cities, IOC Executive Board member Prof. Dr. Ugur Erdener told HOST CITY.

The pool of applicants – Krakow, Oslo and Almaty, Lviv and Beijing – presents a strong emphasis on growth markets, with only one Western European city and none from America. This is particularly notable given that the 2022 Winter Olympic Games will be preceded by two editions in new territories.

“There was a very successful organisation in Sochi and everybody was very happy being there,” Erdener told HOST CITY. “It was one of the very best Olympic Games organised. The next Winter Games will be held in PyeongChang, and now we have potential candidates from Europe and Asia again.

“We will have to see their applicant files, their projects and some of their explanations and then we can have some ideas. At the moment we don’t have any idea of the projects details, budget et cetera.”

Under the new leadership of Dr Thomas Bach and his revitalised top table, the IOC is keen to uphold the value of its flagship events. “The Olympic Games is the top priority for the IOC and the Olympic Movement,” Erdener said.

However, this does not necessarily give an established, known host like Oslo an advantage. The IOC will always be interested in something new to promote.

“It should be a unique activity; it is very important that all Winter, Summer and Youth Olympic Games should be unique – this is very important for the IOC,” said Erdener. 

“We have to be more attractive, especially for TV – because TV is the most important factor for all kinds of sports facilities, especially for the Olympic Games.”

As President of the Turkish Olympic Committee, Erdener led Istanbul’s bid for the 2020 Olympic Games. “I congratulated my friends in the Tokyo team; it was a very fair competition and there was only one place for the winner for 2020.

“After having seen some delays in Rio 2016 project, probably some of our colleagues thought that a safe city would be better. As we all know, still there are some discussions about Rio project.”

IOC members will vote for the host city of the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games during the IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur on 31 July 2015.

Prof. Dr. Erdener is also president of the World Archery Federation and president of the Organising Committee for SportAccord Convention, which takes place in Belek, Turkey from 6-10 April.

For the full exclusive interview with Prof. Dr. Erdener, register for HOST CITY and make sure you get the next issue.

Team SA is hoping to make a historic impact at Glasgow 2014. 

“As a nation, we are proud that on the five occasions that South Africa has competed to the Commonwealth Games since democracy, the medal tally has been very impressive,” said Tubby Reddy CEO of South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).

“The 2014 Commonwealth Games are no exception; we hope to win more medals as our athletes compete with the spirit of Tata Madiba in mind, that of a winning nation and empowering themselves through sport.”

2014 is a big year for Glasgow and also for South Africa, which is celebrating 20 years since the end of apartheid and its return to the Commonwealth Games in 1994.

South Africa competed at 11 of the 19 Commonwealth Games, from the original Games in 1930 to 1958. South Africa then withdrew from the British Commonwealth because of apartheid, but was later re-admitted and participated in the Games in 1994 – the year of Nelson Mandela’s election.

“We would like firstly to take part in the Commonwealth Games,” Mandela said shortly after his inauguration, and Team SA did indeed attend the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games and each edition thereafter.

“All credit goes to the late Madiba’s uniting spirit who believed sports can unite the world and redefine a country’s international image,” said SASCOC in a statement. “Sport’s power to change lives and move nations is often overstated and whilst imprisoned, Madiba supported international sports.”

Freedom of Glasgow

Nelson Mandela had a strong connection with Glasgow. In 1981, during his long period of imprisonment, Glasgow Council awarded Mandela the Freedom of the City. Some years after his release Mandela travelled to Glasgow to thank the city, saying "While we were physically denied our freedom in the country of our birth, a city 6,000 miles away, and as renowned as Glasgow, refused to accept the legitimacy of the apartheid system, and declared us to be free."

Speaking to HOST CITY on Friday, Glasgow's Lord Provost Sadie Docherty said: "Glasgow is extremely proud to be part of the Nelson Mandela story. We were proud to be the first city in the world to honour him with a Freedom of the City award Nelson Mandela was a true political and moral icon. His lifelong quest to bring freedom, justice and equality to the people of South Africa cost him his own freedom for many years. The participation of the South African team in the Commonwealth Games is part of his legacy and I have no doubt the South African team will want to dedicate their performance to his memory."

The Commonwealth Games South Africa Chef De Mission, Patience Shikwambana attended the Chef De Mission Seminar in Glasgow from 28 January – 01 February. “The Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) is on track in their preparations for the Games. We visited some of the training facilities and competition venue facilities and they are of world class standard and it’s pleasing to note that our athletes should be happy to participate in such top of the range facilities.”

At the conclusion of SPORTELAsia on Wednesday, the organisers announced a 12 per cent increase in the number of registered participants as compared to 2013. A total of 603 participants, representing 299 companies of 42 countries, participated in the 2014 Asian Convention.

Ms. Amparo Di Fede, General Manager of SPORTEL said “All participants are extremely satisfied of the high quality and number of exhibitors, especially Asian. Among the new ones were SMIT, Kosmogo, LETV, PPTV, Super Sport Media and Slam Ball.

“The loyalty of the global sports media community has grown strongly over the years and shows that SPORTEL continues to be their ‘must attend’ event".

The conference and panel programme was organised in collaboration with Sports Video Group and TV Sports Markets. A symposium was hosted in partnership with local agency Oceans Marketing entitled "Insight into the Chinese Sports Media Industry".

The next SPORTEL spring convention will return to Miami, where it was hosted in 2011. "Our community has anticipated and clearly chosen America for their next spring convention. SPORTELAmerica will once again welcome the international sports media community from 17 to 19 March 2015, at the JW Marriott in Miami, Florida."

The next SPORTEL event will be the 25th anniversary of SPORTELMonaco.  “The constant success of SPORTELMonaco conventions looks back on 25 years of dedication to our industry and to you, the SPORTEL community that has shared the same dedication and loyalty to us. We very much look forward to welcoming you once again in Monaco from Tuesday 7 to Friday 10 october 2014.”

Registration for SPORTELMonaco opens on 2 April 2014.

The annual Host City Conference & Exhibition, the largest international meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, will take place at the Scottish Event Campus, Glasgow on 3-4 December, and include presentation of the inaugural Host City Awards, celebrating the best event hosting achievements, at an evening reception on 3 December.

The move to a larger capacity venue and launch of the Host City Awards reflects the event’s growth, following a decade of increasingly successful events.

Host City 2024 will bring together hundreds of major event owners, organisers and hosts from all over the world for two days of insightful discussion and debate across plenary sessions, presentations and keynote addresses. The 11th Host City will also feature a hosted buyer programme for the growing community of international event owners and organising committees.

Participants in Host City include International Federation leaders and IOC Members alongside the owners and organisers of major congresses and entertainment events.

Host City 2024 takes place with the support of Global Presenting Partners and Hosts: Glasgow Life, EventScotland and the Scottish Event Campus.

Susan Deighan, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life said: “Glasgow has a reputation for world-class cultural, sports and business occasions so we’ll look forward to welcoming delegates to the city once again for the Host City Conference and Exhibition in December. 

“The breadth of expertise and wealth of knowledge that is shared at Host City is invaluable for continuing to push the boundaries of successful event organisation.

“We look forward to adding our own distinctive host voice to the proceedings, sharing our experience of delivering engaging and diverse events like the World Athletics Indoor Championships held here in March, and hearing how others create a genuine legacy for local communities.”

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, VisitScotland, said: “EventScotland is delighted to continue its partnership with Host City having been a long-standing supporter since its inception. Fostering the spirit of collaboration and innovation, the conference continues to provide a dynamic environment for networking, knowledge sharing, and also celebration with the introduction of this year’s inaugural Host City Awards.

“The opportunity to attract and bring together key global partners and stakeholders to discuss a range of immediate and emerging trends within our sector is incredibly valuable. We are delighted to see the event’s ambition to grow in scope and scale, and look forward to welcoming both new and returning speakers and delegates from across the sport, culture and business events landscape to Glasgow, and indeed Scotland later this year.”   

Kathleen Warden, Director of Conference Sales, Scottish Event Campus said: “We are delighted to support Host City.  This event plays an important role in positioning Glasgow and Scotland as the natural location for major events and conferences, are we are delighted to be providing a platform for growth for the event.”

Host City 2024 is also supported by Glasgow Convention Bureau.

The full agenda for Host City 2024 and details for the inaugural Host City Awards will be announced soon.  

For more information visit www.hostcity.com or email ben.avison@hostcity.com

Commercial Opportunities: adam.soroka@cavendishgroup.co.uk