Al-Qalam 
By Nabelah Shaikh
When Durban resident Hamza Chinsamy was contacted by the Fédération Internationale De Football Association (FIFA) last year, he never imagined where he would find himself.
Before he knew it, he was on his way to pursue a once in a lifetime opportunity in Qatar becoming the Chief of Operations for two prominent teams that participated in the 2022 Fifa Soccer World Cup. Chinsamy took care of the safety and security needs of team USA and team Morocco.
He was the only individual to be appointed to oversee the safety needs of two of the 32 teams that participated in the FIFA World Cup.
Chinsamy, who grew up in Lenasia, reverted to Islam in 2008.
And his journey with FIFA began back in 2010 when South Africa hosted the World Cup.
“In 2010, I was working for MTN at the time, and MTN was one of the sponsors of the World Cup. Some of us volunteered our time and our service – and they kept us on record. I was contacted by FIFA and they told me there’s an opportunity in Qatar and asked if I would be keen for it. And I said yes, I’ve got nothing to lose, I want to give it a shot,” said Chinsamy.
Chinsamy and his friend Faizal Ally. who were both part of the Muslim Response Unit in Joburg, were both called upon for the opportunity.
“I decided to pursue it and it was an amazing experience. Making the cut wasn’t easy. I did the necessary assessments. And based on the fact that I’ve worked closely with senior police officials in South Africa, my name was called up. I had to complete an intense selection process first. For three weeks, you do lots of assessments and do intensive training before you are shortlisted. And then they choose the best possible candidate for them. I was chosen to work with the US team. I worked with them until the round of 16. Then I was asked to join the Moroccan team,” said Chinsamy. He served as the Chief of Operations for both teams.
He said it was a life-changing experience for him. “The people I’ve met, the friends I’ve made and the experience I’ve gained was just remarkable,” said Chinsamy.
He said working with the teams was challenging.
“Especially the USA team, everything from their drinking water to their food, all the consumables, had to be monitored at the training sites. It had to be collected and kept in case it had to be sent to labs if one of the players got sick. There are very strict protocols in place, all of which I cannot discuss,” he said.
He said from a Dawah perspective, the World Cup had been one of the most eye-opening experiences for him.
“The Qatari people did a lot to promote the message of Islam. Being a revert myself, I understood what went into that. My journey to Islam began in 1997. A brother by the name of Omar Hoosen gave me an invitation to Islam. He gave me Dawah and that was accompanied by listening to Sheikh Ahmed Deedat and reading his books which inspired me to embrace Islam,” said Chinsamy. He says the process was a long one for him.
“I didn’t want to take it on face value, I wanted to come to my own conclusion about Islam so I did lots of research. And I realised that Islam is a religion that is truly complete. It affects every sphere of your life. From the time you wake up in the morning and put on a shoe, to everything you do in your life. Islam explains to you how you should do it. It explains exactly how you should live your life. I did my own research to make sure I did my due diligence before accepting Islam and I embraced Islam in 2008,” said Chinsamy.
As someone who grew up in a low income area, Chinsamy said he was humbled by how far he has come in his journey.
“I went to an average school. Got the necessary diplomas in management, but just harnessed my skills in policing and community work in my own way. I grew up street smart and used that throughout my life. I worked for DSTV, the banking sector, Telkom, MTN in South Africa, and I worked for MTN in Iran. I did a stint in Uganda for Multichoice as well. All of these experiences, coupled with my journey to Islam, has made me the individual that I am today,” said Chinsamy.
Today, Chinsamy runs a take away in uThongathi in the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, and is now the head of the department of welfare at the South African National Zakah Fund in Durban.
