As Qatar World Cup glory fades, Arab legacy remains

DOHA: One year after the Qatar World Cup, billboards emblazoned with the tournament's official slogan, "All is now," still stand by Doha's roadsides.

As the months have passed, the signs, in Qatar's trademark maroon, have steadily faded in the relentless glare of the desert sun.

Calm has returned to Doha, 12 months after the gas-rich emirate attracted hordes of fans - and rancorous debate - for the first World Cup in the Muslim world.

At the Corniche, the shore-hugging thoroughfare through central Doha, crowds, big screens showing the action on the pitch and loudspeakers have been replaced by orderly traffic and a somnolent atmosphere.

"It's very difficult to beat the World Cup. That is for sure," Jassim Al Jassim, head of operations for Qatar's organising committee, told AFP on Monday (Nov 20), one year to the day since the opening game.

"This time last year it was a very, very tense day," he said. "But I think overall, we were very happy and we were very proud of what we achieved as a country."

Qatar was hit by a storm of criticism over the World Cup, starting with the 2010 bidding process which was tainted by accusations of corruption - denied by Qatari officials.

The rights of migrant workers, women's equality, laws against homosexuality and the availability of alcohol also became flashpoints for the wealthy emirate, which countered by accusing its critics of racism.

Some experts believe the confrontations improved Qatar's image among Arab nations and helped pave the way for neighbouring Saudi Arabia to emerge as host of the 2034 World Cup.

The "Gulf has moved to the centre of global sports", said Danyel Reiche, a Qatar-based expert on politics and sport.

The successful Saudi bid "might not have been possible if there had not