Volunteer from Peißenberg in Qatar: “The Germans continue to have a good reputation”

Created: 12/17/2022, 2:00 p.m

By: Boris Forstner

Jürgen Stumpf from Peißenberg with another volunteer at one of the World Cup games in Qatar.

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Jürgen Stumpf from Peißenberg experienced four exciting weeks as a volunteer at the World Cup in Qatar.

The 55-year-old saw a record-breaking 16 games for business or pleasure and was even the boss of 25 helpers.

Peißenberg

– At a “normal” World Cup it is hardly possible to watch more than a handful of games – the stadiums are usually too far away.

In Qatar, where everything was concentrated around the capital Doha, it was different: “I looked after nine games as a volunteer, and I watched seven more – once even two in one day,” says Stumpf.

In some cases he was able to buy tickets on the spot without any problems.

Thanks to the good bus connections, the transfer was not a problem.

"And if one of the bus drivers got lost because he was a helper and didn't know his way around, passengers used their mobile phone navigation devices to help them get there," says Stumpf and laughs.

Quickly promoted to team leader

The willingness to help in the country was unprecedented anyway.

He says he's never seen so many hospitable and open-minded people, "whether real Qataris or the Résidence", that is, foreign workers.

In his opinion, the human rights debates in Germany have not harmed the country: “The Germans still have a very good reputation here, as does our national team, you hear that again and again.

They talk about order, discipline and reliability.” He himself saw and suffered in the German games against Spain and Costa Rica.

Immediately after his first game as a volunteer, he was promoted to team leader in spectator services and had eight helpers under him.

"At my last game in the semifinals between France and Morocco, where there was a great atmosphere, there were almost 25 volunteers, including paid staff with different clothes - they were hired extra because the organizers felt it was a critical game," says blunt.

Everything went peacefully

His team was international.

There were only two French from Europe, the rest came from Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Sudan, the Philippines, Egypt, Nepal, Indonesia and India, among others.

“Everyone was mostly on time and kept to agreements.

The Muslims on my team also reliably checked me out to go to pray.” One reason why everything went so peacefully, he believes, was that no alcohol was sold in and around the stadium.

What was a big change for Stumpf: Everything happens at night.

This is of course due to the temperatures of up to 50 degrees, but the processes are not changed even now in winter.

"After the end of the game we still had final meetings and often didn't arrive at our accommodation until 3 a.m., people were still sitting outside, drinking tea and having fun," says Stumpf.

Formative memories with a couple from Iran

On Thursday there was already a big graduation ceremony for the volunteers, after the final Stumpf will be going home again on Monday.

Among the many experiences in the country, only two encounters are reproduced here.

Once, one day after the German elimination, Stumpf met a German national player on a trip to a hotel, who stayed in Qatar with his wife and was on vacation.

"He was really nice, took a picture with me," says Stumpf - he didn't want to reveal who it was.

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My space

Stumpf had another formative encounter on the subway with a young couple from Iran who were on vacation in Qatar for a week.

“They had just experienced one of the worst demonstrations in their country.

Now the woman was allowed to watch her first football game live, go swimming with her husband on the beach, just move around freely – before returning to her country completely veiled,” says Stumpf thoughtfully.

Jürgen Stumpf (centre) from Peißenberg had up to 25 helpers at the World Cup games in Qatar.

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