HBKU’s TII and CAFE partner to deliver inclusive commentary service 

An audio-descriptive commentary (ADC) service in Arabic and English – offered as a partnership between the Translation and Interpreting Institute (TII) of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and the Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE) – is enhancing the match experience of blind and visually impaired fans at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

The legacy impact of the ADC service is supporting Qatar to achieve its vision to deliver an accessible and inclusive tournament for all fans.

Conveying a ‘complete’ picture to blind fans

In preparation for their roles, ADC commentators completed an intensive Football Commentary Training Program delivered by TII in collaboration with CAFE. The training focused on the skills needed to describe the action on the pitch and significant visual information. After downloading the FIFA Interpreting app, fans can independently listen to the ADC commentary in English or, for the first time in Arabic history, in Arabic.

According to Murad Al-Souss, an audio-descriptive commentator at World Cup matches, the main challenges are conveying a complete and clear picture to the blind fans, to place them at the heart of the event and involve them by providing an accurate audio-descriptive commentary of the game.

One of the challenges is when the rhythm of the game gets very fast, and I have to present the image in detail so that the receiver can fully enjoy the game.

Al-Souss is exceptionally passionate about accessibility. A sign language interpreter and a professional physical education (PE) teacher for the deaf, both his parents and members of his extended family are deaf, making sign language his first language.

ADC is a wonderful service that has brought the blind audience very close to the stadium. The ADC service allows them to live the experience and the atmosphere more actively and enthusiastically in a way not imagined before.

He is encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive responses from football fans.

One of the blind spectators who listened through the FIFA Interpreting app during the match between Argentina and Saudi Arabia said he felt so tense and understood why sighted viewers get excited when watching football matches. ADC provides descriptions of the players’ movements in the stadium and includes many details in the game that otherwise he wouldn’t ‘see’.

Looking at its potential future legacy, Al-Souss said that this positive feedback proves that the ADC service has become required and necessary for blind spectators attending the matches, and for many other different activities.

TII’s collaboration with CAFE to deliver the ADC service reflects a shared goal of improving access and inclusion for persons with disabilities. TII, through its Translation and Training Center, delivers a range of professional audiovisual translation services, aiming to educate engaged professionals who will contribute towards a more inclusive society by making information, entertainment, culture, as well as sports, accessible to all.

For more information on the work and programmes of the Translation and Interpreting Institute, visit tii.qa.   

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