Strategic Planning and Resilience in Large-Scale Sporting Events: Case of the Asian Football Cup 2023

Abstract

Large-scale sporting events, such as the Asian Football Cup (AFC), present significant public health challenges due to the influx of spectators and the strain on the host country's healthcare infrastructure. Effective healthcare delivery and emergency preparedness during such events necessitate meticulous planning, coordination, and resource allocation. This study aimed to report on Qatar's healthcare systems, strategies, and planning measures implemented for the 2023 AFC and provide recommendations. This paper presents a real-world case study examining Qatar's healthcare management strategies for the 2023 AFC by recapitulating documentation and reports, such as operational and incident reports collected during the event period, from Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar. The findings revealed a well-defined command and control structure with gold, silver and bronze leadership levels, facilitating seamless coordination and communication among stakeholders. Locum healthcare professionals, recruitment, and training programmes ensured adequate medical coverage and familiarity with local protocols. Major incident planning enhanced preparedness for potential crises, including specialised emergency management teams, escalation protocols and strategically positioned resources. The ‘Occurrences, Variances, and Accidents’ incident reporting system promoted a safety culture and continuous improvement. Key recommendations included establishing clear performance indicators, conducting regular audits, enhancing training programmes, advocating incident reporting and encouraging research in the mass gathering medicine field. Qatar's healthcare management strategies during the 2023 AFC demonstrated effective planning, coordination and adaptability in addressing the challenges of a large-scale sporting event. The findings contribute to the development of best practices for healthcare coordination during international mass gathering sporting competitions, informing future regional events, such as FIFA 2030.