A Muslim's Guide to the World Amateur Boxing Championships in Doha

This is Qatar’s first time hosting the World Amateur Boxing Championships, and they’ve gone all out! Held at Lusail Multi-Purpose Sports Hall in Doha – originally built for the World Men’s Handball Championships – its multi-purpose function makes it the perfect place for the World Amateur Boxing Championships, which is a qualifying event for the Rio Olympic Games. A sleek modern design whose colours reflect Qatar’s main elements of sand, pearl and ocean, it can accommodate 15,300 spectators – less than the originally planned 18,000, but quantity was sacrificed for comfort. The larger, more spacious seats are meant to ensure a more comfortable experience for the duration of the event. With 258 boxers coming in from 74 countries, as well as spectators coming from all over the world, Muslim-friendly facilities at the World Amateur Boxing Championships in Doha will be available in plenty. In keeping with the norm of a Muslim country, there are prayer rooms available at the center, as well as Halal restaurants, cafés and other food and beverage services. Muslims attending the championships will therefore not have to worry about missing their prayers, or about finding Halal food at the event. While you’re there to enjoy the fights, that take place over 10 days, don’t forget to drop by other places of interest and have some fun. The Lusail Multi-Purpose Sports Hall is located near the Lusail Shooting Club, which has archery and shooting and allows you to let off some steam and release a few shots. Since the area of Lusail is just outside Doha, the closest hotels are around 15 kilometres away, but lack of traffic means that it should take you less than half an hour to get there. Choose from Grand Hyatt, The St. Regis, InterContinental, Four Seasons, and more, with the large concentration of hotels in that vicinity. Being a Muslim country, finding Halal restaurants in Doha is not a problem. Around the hotels are various restaurants like The Noodle House, Burj Al Hamam, Le Relais de l’Entrecote, Khan Farouk Tarab Café and L’wzaar Seafood Restaurant amongst others. All you have to do is pick a cuisine and go! The hotel district has plenty of beach around. Enjoy the evenings with sunset at the sea, dhow trips across the creek, shopping at Lagoona Mall, or by catching a movie at Novo Cinemas in Pearl Qatar. The perfect balance between the old and the new is Katara Amphitheatre. Even if there are no shows on the agenda, it’s worth visiting for its architecture in classical Greek style, with Islamic features. Under the blue sky, it is a beauty at night and day, with colourful lights coming in to play in the dark and transforming its whole look. If you tire of the mall, head out to Souq Waqif – a place that holds its charm simply by existing for centuries. Initially the place where the Bedouins would bring their sheep and goats to trade for wool, this renovated souq maintains its old culture which makes it a unique place to bargain, buy, or simply stroll the streets. The Omani Market offers similar charms on the weekend. Take a drive out of the city to see camels up close and personal, or beat the heat by going ice skating.  Don’t miss the adventure of dune bashing at a desert safari, a treat that only an Arab Gulf country can offer! Qatar is known for its splendor, and the mosques in Doha are no exception. They are plentiful in this Islamic state, and with it, tasteful and breathtaking designs even. The Souq Waqif mosque fits in with its surroundings in an old-fashioned manner, while the Doha Souq Mosque appears to be like an old fort. The mosques in Katara outshine with the Golden Mosque covered entirely in golden gilded tiles on the outside, and luxurious tasteful interiors. The Katara Mosque is a stark contrast with colourful patterned tiles and heavy embellishment – proof of cultural influences from Arabia, Persia and Africa. The mosques may be excellent places to worship, in its well taken care of environment, but they are also tourist attractions. Muslims visiting Doha for the World Amateur Boxing Championships will find the country to be everything it claims to be and more. With a variety of family-friendly attractions and countless Muslim-friendly facilities, Doha is sure to become even more popular of a travel destination in the near future, than it already is today!