Qatar Is Going To Lose The World Cup, Says FIFA Executive
A FIFA executive announced today that he believes Qatar will be stripped of its bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup due to the Middle Eastern nation’s scorching summer temperatures.
FIFA Executive Committee member Theo Zwanziger told the German newspaper Sport Bild that the heat in Qatar is simply going to be too much for FIFA to deal with, according to MSN Sports.
“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.”
According to Weather Spark, summer temperatures in Qatar average 106 degrees Fahrenheit, and can reach upwards of 120 degrees. Although the committee managing Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid insists that they can provide air-conditioned stadiums, Zwanziger is concerned about the effects of the heat outside the stadiums on both players and fans.
“They may be able to cool the stadiums but a World Cup does not take place only there. Fans from around the world will be coming and travelling in this heat and the first life-threatening case will trigger an investigation by a state prosecutor. That is not something that FIFA [Executive Committee] members want to answer for.”
Officials have discussed the idea of moving the 2022 World Cup to the winter, according to this Inquisitr report. However, such a move would wreak havoc on European football league schedules, and several clubs and leagues have opposed such a move, according to Fox Sports.
In addition to concerns about the heat, Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid has been the subject of intense scrutiny since Qatar was awarded the bid. Former New York prosecutor Michael Garcia has issued a damning report alleging corruption in both Qata’s 2022 World Cup bid and Russia’s 2018 World Cup bid, and at least one British government official has demanded that the report be made public – a move that FIFA has opposed.
Despite allegations of corruption and concerns about lethal temperatures, Qatar insists that the 2022 FIFA Wold Cup will be held there, according to Yahoo Sports.
”Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup in 2022, despite comments of FIFA executive committee member Dr. Zwanziger, which reflect his personal opinion and not that of FIFA. 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.”
If Qatar is indeed stripped of its 2022 FIFA World Cup bid, a possible backup site, according to Bleacher Report, is the USA.
[Image courtesy of: PHA-Media]
