‘It was a bad choice’: Ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter feels awarding World Cup rights to Qatar was a mistake

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has admitted it was a ‘mistake’ to award the 2022 World Cup hosting rights to Qatar. Blatter was the FIFA president back in 2010 when Qatar managed to win the hosting right for the tournament despite USA being favourites to stage the showpiece event this year.

Qatar has been at the center of criticism from all corners for its infamous history of human rights violations. The country has been accused of mistreating and forcing migrant labours to work in inhumane conditions during the construction of stadiums for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which is set to get underway from November 20 this year.

Blatter, who was the eighth president of the world football’s governing body FIFA, remained in charge for 17 years from 1998 to 2015. It was during his stint at the top that Qatar won the hosting rights. The former FIFA president has now admitted it was a ‘bad choice’ and said that World Cup is too big an event for a small country like Qatar.

Also Read: Qatar World Cup ambassador shares take on homosexuality, says it is ‘damage in the mind’

“It is too small of a country. Football and the World Cup are too big for it,” Blatter told Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger, as per Reuters.

“It was a bad choice. And I was responsible for that as president at the time,” he added.

Qatar has faced criticism from several current and former players and coaches over human rights violations in the country. Recently pub owners in Germany, which houses one of the biggest football fan bases in the world, announced that they will boycott the upcoming World Cup.

Also Read: Dani Alves makes the cut, Roberto Firmino left out as Brazil announce squad for FIFA World Cup 2022

Blatter said FIFA amended the criteria for the selection of World Cup hosts in 2012 after serious accusations of human rights violations agaist Qatar. FIFA also took into account the accusations against Qatar over the poor working conditions for labours at tournaent-related working sites.

“Since then, social considerations and human rights are taken into account,” said Blatter, who was accused of corruption and bribery during his tenure as FIFA president.

Blatter and former UEFA president Michel Platini were both cleared of corruption charges by a Swiss court earlier this year. However, Blatter remains banned from taking part any FIFA-related activities until 2007.