Qatar 2022: the all but inevitable decision to have a winter World Cup is insane, writes Simon Hill
Blatter backs Dec 18 WC final
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ANOTHER week, another missive from the teflon-coated FIFA President, Sepp Blatter. This time, he’s announcing that the World Cup Final in 2022 shall be held no later than December 18th.
A World Cup Final the week before Christmas? But of course! This is FIFA, and it’s insane decision to hand Qatar sports biggest showpiece event. Debate? Forget it - this is a done deal, to be rubber-stamped on March 20th.
It’s causing havoc in the sporting world - and not just in football. European leagues are up in arms about having to reschedule their domestic campaigns (as Australia will also have to do), but Winter Olympic chiefs aren’t exactly gung-ho about having the World Cup nudging up against it, competing for sponsorship, advertising and airtime either.
FIFA twists and turns in every direction to try and wriggle out of the intractable mess it alone is responsible for creating. Yet the only correct course of action is ignored. Dismissed as colonialism in disguise, racism even, on the part of those who call for it.
But for FIFA to suggest that holding the World Cup in November/December is the “only option” is utter nonsense. Even at this late stage, the only right and proper solution is to take the Cup away from Qatar. Or, at the very least, hold a re-vote among interested nations - that is, if there are any, with even a shred of faith left in the tainted governing body.
Most importantly, the rules should be clear. If you bid for a World Cup, you are bidding for a June-July tournament. If the calendar IS to be a movable feast, then let’s have it enshrined in the FIFA statutes, not used as a flimsy excuse for Qatar’s re-positioning because - well, it doesn’t say we CAN’T host it in another time slot.
FIFA unsympathetic to leagues
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As I’ve argued before, this is not an attack on Qatar’s right to bid, or even host a World Cup. They did what they had to do, and as we now know, they found willing accomplices within the ranks of the FIFA ExCo, who were only too happy to besmirch the games reputation. Deals were done, and proper governance of the world’s favourite game was cast aside. The most loved sporting event on the planet, reduced to a grubby farce. Truly, it’s criminal - as evidenced by the removal of many of the ExCo members post-2010.
FIFA’s refusal to correct its “mistake” (Blatter’s word) is - again - down to cold, hard cash. To take the Cup away from Qatar would be to invite litigation costing billions. FIFA can’t risk that, so it is going down the road of least resistance - and that means appeasement; cutting deals with the Europeans.
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FIFA president Sepp Blatter leaves after the International Football Association Board (IFAB) meeting.
Source: AP
The head of the FIFA Task Force, charged with finding a solution to the Qatar impasse, is our own AFC President, Sheikh Salman of Bahrain - recently re-elected unopposed, to the shock of absolutely no-one. Salman is a confirmed Blatter acolyte, and his recommendations follow the lead set by head office in Switzerland.
He says the stakeholders have a choice - either A or B. A is January/February (which he rules out due to the Winter Olympics) or B - November/December. So not much choice at all really.
Except, why don’t those stakeholders choose option C? Tell Salman, Blatter and FIFA where they can stick it, and boycott the 2022 World Cup.
A World Cup without the major European nations would be a wedding without a bride, and expose FIFA for being the sham organisation it has undoubtedly become. Yes, it would damage the image of the game in the short-term, but in the long-run, it may well be worthwhile, if it means reform in Zurich. There are some things more important than football.
In closing, let’s repeat the bleeding obvious.
Does the Middle East have the right to host a World Cup? Absolutely. Should it be held in winter? Definitely - that’s the only option, given the regions climate.
Should that be Qatar 2022?
No. Because a November/December World Cup was NOT what was voted on, back in 2010. As everyone knows, it was June-July, and all the technical reports stated - correctly - that Qatar was unsuitable. Furthermore, many of the decision-makers were proven to be flawed individuals in some cases, corrupt in others.
Therefore, the vote was, and remains, null and void
BOYCOTT THE TOURNAMENT
