AFP
FIFA’s decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar has been heavily criticized since the final vote in 2010, with allegations of corruption within FIFA and Qatar’s record of human rights violations leading many to call for the decision to be reversed. The challenges of holding the world’s biggest tournament in western Asia during the summer months — when temperatures in Doha reach an average high of 106 degrees — seem unsolvable. Qatari officials have promised to spend $4 billion on air conditioned stadiums to protect players and fans, but not everyone is convinced.
FIFA Executive Committee member Theo Zwanziger told German newspaper Bild that he does not think the tournament will take place in Qatar.
Via Reuters:
“I personally think that in the end the 2022 World Cup will not take place in Qatar. Medics say that they cannot accept responsibility with a World Cup taking place under these conditions…. Fans from around the world will be coming and traveling in this heat and the first life-threatening case will trigger an investigation by a state prosecutor.”
People walk past a FIFA World Cup trophy decorating the Souq Waqif in the Qatari capital Doha. Photo via Karim Jaafar/AFP
FIFA president Sepp Blatter admitted in May that awarding Qatar the World Cup was “a mistake,” and has also said that it is not “rational and reasonable” to play the 2022 World Cup in the summer. Moving the tournament to the winter would wreak havoc on club football league schedules across the world.
If Qatar is stripped of the World Cup, it could potentially be hosted in the United States. The U.S. finished second in the voting process in 2010, ahead of South Korea, Japan and Australia.
Still, Nasser Al Khater, Qatar’s executive director of communications, insisted Monday that the World Cup will definitely be held in Qatar.
Via the AP:
“The only question now is when, not if. Summer or winter, we will be ready. We have proven that a FIFA World Cup in Qatar in the summer is possible with state-of-the-art cooling technology.”
