FIFA President Sepp Blatter shakes hands with Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Chief of Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, in Doha yesterday.
BY RIZWAN REHMAT
DOHA: FIFA will avoid a clash of dates with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) if the 2022 World Cup is moved to winter, President Sepp Blatter promised yesterday.
The world football family has been thinking to move the Qatar World Cup to winter, raising concerns in the IOC ranks about a possible clash with the dates of 2022 Winter Olympics.
“We will not play the (2022) World Cup in January or February,” Blatter said during a press conference attended by local and international media yesterday.
“We have to have respect for the Olympic family. They have the (Winter) Games (in 2022) in February. Their media and Games partners are our partners also,” Blatter added.
Last month, FIFA urged Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to consult the stakeholders of the game in the region and elsewhere on the possibility of moving the World Cup to winter to avoid the searing heat in summer in the Middle East.
The prospect of moving the 2022 World Cup from its traditional June and July slot to January-February has angered winter sports federations because of a possible clash with that year’s Winter Olympics.
Winter sports federations and broadcasters argue that a high-profile football event clashing with their own seasons would dent television audiences and revenues.
Earlier on Friday, Blatter had informed a news conference in Abu Dhabi: “The FIFA World Cup can only be played in November/December 2022, no way it’s going to take place in January/February. We have to see how we can have the FIFA World Cup played in winter, but only November/December are possible.”
To a question, Blatter yesterday clearly said FIFA does not support the idea of co-hosts for World Cup editions.
News reports on Friday indicated interest from neighboring UAE wanting to stage a few matches of 2022 World Cup which will be held in Qatar.
“I answered this question in Tehran and in the UAE also. When the 2002 edition was staged in Korea and Japan, FIFA decided then not to go for co-hosts (in future),” Blatter said during the press conference held at Four Seasons Hotel. “For the 2018 World Cup we had joint bids. Spain and Portugal and Netherlands and Belgium wanted to bid as co-hosts. This was dismissed by the FIFA Executive Committee in December 2010,” Blatter added.
The FIFA President said Qatar remained the sole hosts of the 2022 edition.
“Let me reiterate that the 2022 World Cup will be held in Qatar. This was decided by the FIFA Executive Committee (in December 2010). It will be organised by Qatar. The decision is not reversible,” Blatter said.
When asked for an update on the consultation process on the possibility of switching the World Cup dates, Blatter said: “The AFC President and his team is looking into this matter. As of now, I know that Qatar had bid for a summer World Cup. They are willing and they are capable of hosting the World Cup in summer.”
Blatter said the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee made a detailed presentation on Qatar’s plans for the World Cup.
“This is not my first visit. I have seen the presentations. I can tell you that Qatar is on a really, really good track,” the FIFA Preisdent said.
In a historic FIFA vote on December 2, 2010, Qatar beat bids from the United States, Japan, Korea and Australia.
Under the stewardship of Blatter, FIFA took the World Cup - it’s flagship event - to South Africa in 2010. In 2022 Qatar will become the first country in the Middle East to stage the quadrennial event.
Qatar will also host the 2021 Confederations Cup, a warm-up event held a year before the actual World Cup is staged by a host country.
“I have been with FIFA since 1978 and I can tell you we will see a great World Cup (in 2022). I ask the journalists there (in England) to go to Qatar and see how they are planning for the World Cup.
“We (FIFA) were shown a great presentation (of their plans). They are going forward. I can say you are on the right track. They started their work many months ago,” he added.
THE PENINSULA
