Qatar’s World Cup chief Nasser Al Khater has said fans who’ve been drinking excessively at the tournament will be sent to designated areas to sober up.
Alcohol regulations in Qatar have been heavily scrutinized in the lead-up to the tournament. The country normally only serves alcohol in hotel restaurants and bars that have licenses, a rule that is restrictive compared to most of the world but more liberal than some other Middle East countries.
For the World Cup, Qatar will relax those laws somewhat, also allowing alcohol sales in designated areas within stadiums before and after games, as well as at FIFA Fan Festival in downtown Doha.
Asked if he had felt pressure to relax alcohol laws for the World Cup, Al Khater told Sky News: “No. Alcohol is available in Qatar. It’s more limited than maybe other countries in the world, whether it’s in Europe or the U.S. or other countries in the East, but it will be more available in designated zones in Qatar.
“We have it in designated zones, as we have promised from day one.”
Al Khater was asked about the existence of so-called “drunk tanks” for fans who’ve been drinking too much, and the World Cup chief confirmed they will be part of the plan — though he did not go into specifics on how they will function.
He said: “I know that there are plans in place for people to sober up if they have been drinking excessively; a place to make sure that they keep themselves safe, that they’re not harmful to anyone else, that they don’t get themselves hurt. I think it’s a good idea.”
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