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VINAY NAYUDU
DOHA

Total E&P Golfe’s association with Qatar Total Open – a WTA 500 event in Doha in 2021 – has spanned over two decades since the launch of the first tournament in 2001. Both Qatar Open tournament and Total E&P Golfe have since shared a strong bond throughout. With Qatar hosting yet another exciting edition despite the pandemic challenges, Total E&P Golfe Managing Director and Total Country Chair in Qatar, Matthieu Bouyer, spoke to Qatar Tribune about what this partnership has been all about.

Excerpts:

On the 2021 edition of Qatar Total Open
We are very lucky to have had the opportunity to organize this event with spectators, as this has not been possible with many other tennis tournaments worldwide. Having the presence of fans supporting the players has been a huge mental boost for the players and everyone involved.
On association with the tournament as the lead sponsor
Total has been present in Qatar for the past 85 years, and throughout this period we have committed to supporting sport and social events, such as Qatar Total Open. We saw the tournament evolve to one of the top tournaments in the region, as well as one of the most watched WTA tournaments. We are therefore delighted to be a part of this journey and proud to have been here from the very beginning 20 years ago.

On key core area that contributes to the success of the partnership and success of the event
The key for its success is the vision laid by Qatar Tennis Federation to have this tournament grow and develop beyond limits, and this is something that QTF has done effectively through promoting a tennis culture in the country. The State of Qatar has also proven its ability to host such world-class sports event, so this also paved the way for its success.
We can clearly see that QTO is a tournament which is well respected, and has become a popular destination in the WTA calendar for players. There is something that stands out in Qatar’s hospitality that has made the players appreciate their stop : which is that they are taken care of.
Giving the chance for spectators to enjoy the matches safely is already outstanding by itself. For this, we would like to thank all the efforts made by health authorities, the Qatar Tennis Federation particularly HE Nasser Al Khelaifi, Tariq Darwish and all the members of the Higher Organizing Committee.

On plans for this year’s tournament being affected..
Having less spectators was a constraint which had affected our ability to see the matches and invite guests. Keeping safe and healthy is the number one priority, and we are grateful to QTF teams, staff and volunteers to have organized this successful event given today’s global circumstances. They have been really dedicated and professional.

On other significant initiatives undertaken by Total for human development
In Qatar, Qatar Total Open is the only sport event of this magnitude which we currently sponsor. We do, however, have other cultural initiatives such as our sponsorship of an Energy playground for the Qatar National Museum in order to spread awareness for parents and children alike particularly on oil, gas, downstream sector, and renewables.
We are also proud to have launched a road safety awareness program, Via, targeting school children, and this has been done in collaboration with the Traffic Department in Qatar, and various other educational institutions.
Internally, we also focus on promoting diversity, and gender diversity in particular, which is indicative through our sponsorship of a Ladies tournament. We have established a Women’s Network across Total globally as part of our women empowerment efforts, and our goal is to lay a strong foundation so that all our women workforce will have all the resources and support to develop a long and successful career path. This program has been beneficial for our Qatari and expatriate female workforce of course.
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08/03/2021
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