Spanish tennis player Fernando Verdasco and his partner, Ana Boyer, were among the guests trapped in the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Doha during violent riots that erupted near the UN climate summit venue. According to the tennis player's sister, Sara Verdasco, the couple, trying to calm their children, explained the sounds of explosions and gunfire as fireworks. Spanish media, citing her words, describe an atmosphere of fear and the need to hide inside rooms while violent protests or an assault were taking place outside. The incident sheds light on tensions in the Qatari capital, which was hosting the prestigious UN conference.

Trapped in a Luxury Hotel

Fernando Verdasco and Ana Boyer were forced to stay in their rooms at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Doha when riots broke out outside. Sara Verdasco described in interviews that the couple and their children heard sounds resembling explosions, which they had to explain to the children as fireworks to hide the real danger from them.

Account from the Tennis Player's Sister

Sara Verdasco in conversations with Spanish media (LaSexta, La Razón) revealed details of the dramatic moments experienced by her brother and his partner. She emphasized their fear and the effort to protect the children from the specter of danger, illustrating the scale of chaos in the city center during the summit.

Background: UN Climate Summit

The riots took place during the prestigious COP31 climate conference in Doha. The incident disrupted Qatar's image as a safe and stable economy, which for years has invested in organizing major international events as part of its 'soft power' strategy.

Couple's Regular Stay in Qatar

An article from EL MUNDO reveals that Ana Boyer and Fernando Verdasco regularly stay in Doha, renting a luxurious residence with a view there. This suggests their presence in the city was not solely related to the summit but involved a longer stay, making them accidental but regular witnesses to local events.

During the ongoing UN climate summit COP31 in the capital of Qatar, violent riots broke out, paralyzing the area around the luxurious Mandarin Oriental hotel. Among the guests forced to hide inside rooms were Spanish tennis player Fernando Verdasco and his partner, Ana Boyer. The dramatic moments experienced by the couple were described to Spanish media by the tennis player's sister, Sara Verdasco.

Qatar, an emirate on the Arabian Peninsula whose economy for decades relied on natural gas reserves, has since the beginning of the 21st century pursued an aggressive policy of investing in sports and culture to gain international prestige and diversify its income. It has successively organized major events, such as the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the current UN climate summit, striving to create an image of a modern and stable state.

Sara Verdasco in interviews with the LaSexta channel and the La Razón newspaper revealed details of the fear that accompanied her loved ones. „They told the children it was fireworks” – she reported, explaining how Verdasco and Boyer tried to make the terrifying sounds from the street familiar to the little ones. This detail underscores the scale of the riots and the adults' effort to protect the youngest from real danger. According to her account, the couple was forced to remain in the hotel while an assault or violent protests were taking place outside. Spanish media do not provide a detailed cause for the riots or an official statement from Qatari authorities regarding the nature of the incident and its perpetrators. One can only assume they were related to tensions surrounding the climate summit, although there is no direct evidence of this in the analyzed articles.

A third article, published by the EL MUNDO newspaper, provides important context for the couple's stay in the emirate. It describes the luxurious residence with a view that Boyer and Verdasco rent in Doha. This suggests they spend time in Qatar regularly, and their presence in the city was not solely a short visit related to the summit. This fact makes them accidental but regular residents who found themselves at the epicenter of unexpected public order disturbances. The incident, although described through the prism of celebrities' experiences, sheds light on potential security challenges in a city that so carefully builds an image of an oasis of peace and modernity for international guests.

Mentioned People

  • Fernando Verdasco — Spanish tennis player, former world No. 7, trapped in a hotel during riots in Doha.
  • Ana Boyer — Spanish socialite, partner of Fernando Verdasco, was with him at the Mandarin Oriental hotel during the riots.
  • Sara Verdasco — Sister of tennis player Fernando Verdasco, who in interviews with Spanish media described the dramatic moments experienced by the couple in Doha.