FIFA World Cup 2022 will kick off in Qatar in less than two weeks’ time, however, ahead of the spectacle, former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has made an explosive revelation, deeming awarding the rights to host the tournament in Qatar a ‘mistake’.
Qatar is facing a lot of criticism over its stance on same-sex relationships, human rights records and the treatment of migrant workers.
Denmark’s kit producer Hummel, as part of their protest against the host nation of the FIFA World Cup, released a toned-down kit, stating that they do not wish to be ‘seen’ at a tournament with so much of complicated history meddled in Qatar.
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This is just one of the measures that have been taken against Qatar, and days ahead of the start of the tournament, Sepp Blatter who was one of the key members behind awarding the rights to the nation has deemed his decision a ‘mistake’.
The 86-year-old Blatter spoke with the Swiss newspaper group Tamedia in his first major interview since being acquitted with Platini in July of financial misconduct at FIFA after a trial at a federal criminal court.
“It’s a country that’s too small,” Blatter said of Qatar, the smallest host by size since the 1954 tournament in Switzerland. “Football and the World Cup are too big for that,” he added.
Games start on Nov. 20 with about 1.2 million international visitors expected to arrive in Qatar during the World Cup. With limited places to stay in the host nation, some will commute in from neighbouring states.
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“It was a bad choice. And I was responsible for that as president at the time,” said Blatter, who has long said he voted for the United States. Its bid was beaten by Qatar in the final round of a five-candidate contest to be 2022 host.
French soccer great Platini, then president of the European soccer body UEFA and a vice president of FIFA, was invited by then-state president Sarkozy to his official residence. The crown prince of Qatar, now the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, was also there.
Blatter on Tuesday repeated his claim that Sarkozy put pressure on Platini, and again gave his version of a telephone call Platini made to him after the Paris meeting that the World Cup voting plan had changed.
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“Thanks to the four votes of Platini and his (UEFA) team, the World Cup went to Qatar rather than the United States. It’s the truth,” Blatter said of the 14-8 voting result.
The 32 teams will play 64 games in eight stadiums in and around the city of Doha which has been transformed since 2010 by massive construction projects to prepare for the World Cup.
With inputs from PTI
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