Fifa’s shocking incompetence over giving Qatar World Cup

THE president of FIFA, the governing body of world football, Sepp Blatter, recently informed us that awarding the 2022 football World Cup to Qatar was a mistake. No, it was not a mistake. If I add three and four together and say the answer is nine – that is a mistake!

To award the World Cup tournament to Qatar was an unbelievable, ludicrous decision which did not have the slightest relationship to common sense. Awarding Qatar the competition was not made in haste; it was not a spur of the moment act; it was not made under immense pressure which could possibly attract a wrong outcome; no, it was a lengthy process conducted by the executive committee of FIFA who were obviously aware, or should have been aware, of all the problems of holding such a tournament in Qatar in the middle of summer.

And, what are all these problems which make Qatar so obviously unsuitable? Well, at this time of year Qatar swelters in temperatures of over 40ºC, or about 110º F; so hot everyone knows that playing football at any level, never mind that of World Cup standard, is impossible and could seriously risk the health of the players.

The World Cup would not be won by the team which played the best football, but by the one which could survive such heat.

Although independent reports said Qatar was just too hot, the executive committee of FIFA decided they knew better. I wonder how many members of the executive committee have played football in these conditions? The temperature in summer in Qatar did not suddenly take us all by surprise.

So, to make Qatar the host country was not a mistake but represents gross and utter incompetence on a scale which I previously believed was impossible. Yet, FIFA are, let me repeat, the governing body of world football.

I believe they are now considering changing it from a summer to a winter venue. Imagine all the chaos which would happen? The football fixtures of all competing nations would have to be cancelled. The loss of revenues to both large and small football clubs would, I believe, be unaffordable.

The cancellation of Qatar’s World Cup tournament is the only logical outcome. Probably Qatar will seek and have to be paid compensation. So, may I suggest the members of FIFA’s executive committee who ignored even the most basic common sense, should be made to fund this as this would help to concentrate their minds for any future decisions.