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On 2 December 2010, FIFA stunned the entire world of football by awarding the gulf state of Qatar, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, beating bids from USA, Australia, Japan and South Korea in the process.
FIFA have shown, especially under the leadership of Sepp Blatter, that at times, it does not act like as one of the world’s largest and most powerful organizations. With allegations of mass corruption, and ill-informed quotes such as women should play in more feminine clothing to improve interest in women’s football, comparing Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer saga to Real Madrid as ‘Modern Day Slavery’, and suggesting that that racism isn’t a problem on the field. FIFA’s credibility is already at an all time low.
The situation with Qatar has only just added to public’s perception of FIFA at being rather inept. (Surely, you would take note it gets hot in the desert?). We cannot blame Qatar for this; they put in a formal bid like all the other candidates, wooed everyone with their impressive stadiums, went thought the same process as everyone else and won.
But now they have been caught in between a hard place and a rock. With temperatures reaching as high as 50 degrees in the summer, there are vast medical implications for the players and the fans for the duration of the tournament. There were whispers of the tournament being moved to winter, but surely that could not happen, it is after all a summer event?
The news that all members of UEFA are content with a move to a winter tournament, a switch now looks very likely. Which, in no doubt, should rightly infuriate the fellow candidate countries that lost. They were bidding to win the rights for a summer World Cup.
Australia is already contemplating taking actions in regards to this. This makes FIFA lose even more credibility. The last thing they need right now are previous bids taking legal action. A winter tournament holds many logistical problems, when exactly do you host it? Christmas will happen right in the middle of the winter months. And people will be making travel plans for family, even without travel; will fans still cough up even more for flights and accommodation so soon around Christmas?
Also, the European football season (the most significant of all the confederations) works a calendar that ends during the summer. So their schedules will take some changing for a few years to accommodate a change in hosting the tournament (although, some do have a small winter break, this is not long enough to fit a month long tournament).
Qatar will stick to their guns, and say they have the technology to play in cooled stadiums. It is not just the players whose safety is in question. It is the safety of the millions of fans and media that will descend to the Gulf nation in 2022.
The situation is all rather embarrassing for Qatar themselves, who didn’t mention a winter alternative, yet have taken collateral damage from FIFA’s indecision. FIFA have only themselves to blame, they made their decision (rightly or wrongly), and now have to deal with the consequences.
It is too late to change the host country, but how FIFA deal with this will leave a lasting mark on their legacy. Right now it is all in the air, and frankly, a bit of a joke. I’m sure Qatar will put on a great show with all their resources, but it is down to the governing body on how they execute the tournament, and on how it will be remembered.
