A high-ranking FIFA official has expressed serious doubt in Qatar’s ability to host the 2022 World Cup, suggesting one of the world’s most popular sporting events could be on the move.
German football chief Theo Zwanziger told German newspaper Sport Bild that he doesn’t believe Qatar is fit to host the World Cup due to the nation’s dangerous heat conditions.
“I personally think that in the end the 2022 World Cup will not take place in Qatar,” Zwanziger said.
“Doctors say that they cannot accept responsibility with a World Cup taking place under these conditions.”
Qatar’s summer temperatures routinely reach as high as 45C and could threaten the health of not only players, but the masses of spectators that flock to the event every four years.
“The World Cup involves not only stadiums. There are fans coming from the four corners of the world who will be concerned by the heat.
“The first incident putting a life in danger will be subject to an investigation. And that, nobody in the FIFA Executive Committee would want to reply to.”
Qatar is hopeful of having the tournament moved to the European winter period at the end of the calendar year so that it can be played in cooler conditions, however the call to interrupt the club football and Champions League season by a whopping three months has been met with furious backlash by leagues around the globe.
A decision on Qatar remaining as the host nation is likely to come early next year, following an inquiry into corruption allegations surrounding the nation’s bid to host the Cup.
Australia is expected to re-enter the fray should Qatar lose, or be stripped, of the lucrative position as host.
Football Federation Australia spent $43 million on a bid to host 2022, but received just a single vote for its trouble. The FFA would face stiff competition from the United States, which came second in the landslide Qatar win, as well as from national AFL football and rugby competitions which feature overlapping schedules in some of the country’s biggest stadiums.
Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
