Qatar will not host the World Cup in 2022, according to Theo Zwanziger, the German member on the executive committee of world football’s governing body FIFA.
“I think that at the end of the day the 2022 World Cup will not take place in Qatar,” Zwanziger said in an interview with Sport Bild Plus.
The former head of the German football federation (DFB) cited high summer temperatures as the reason Qatar would lose the right to host football’s global showpiece.
“As Mr Zwanziger himself says, it’s his personal opinion,” a FIFA spokesman responded to AFP subsidiary SID when asked about the German’s statement.
Zwanziger said: “Doctors say, and I had insisted on this point in the protocol, that they cannot guarantee that a World Cup can be held in summer in these conditions.”
While Qatar has reportedly developed stadium cooling systems, Zwanziger said “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.”
But in an interview with Die Welt newspaper, Hassan al-Thawadi, secretary-general of the Qatar 2022 organising committee, declared himself “sure that the 2022 World Cup would take place in Qatar”.
“No, I’m not worried,” he said. “Firstly because there’s no basis to lose the World Cup.
“And secondly because it’s the first World Cup in the Middle East.
“When people think of this region, it’s rather in terms of conflict. The World Cup will be an occasion to unite peoples. It will leave a positive heritage.”
Later Monday, the Qatar 2022 World Cup committee released a statement which read: “Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup in 2022, despite comments of FIFA executive committee member Dr Zwanziger, which reflect his personal opinion and not that of FIFA.
“The only question now is when, not if. Summer or winter, we will be ready. We have proven that a FIFA World Cup in Qatar in the summer is possible with state-of-the-art cooling technology.
“We have demonstrated that our cooling works in outdoor areas beyond stadiums. This summer we welcomed fans in Doha to an open-air Brazil 2014 Fan Zone with temperatures cooled to a comfortable 22 degrees Celsius.
“The evolution of environmentally-friendly cooling technologies is an important legacy for our nation, region and for countries with similar climates – promising to expand the reach of hosting major sporting events to countries where it was never thought possible before.”
Controversy has plagued FIFA’s awarding of the World Cup to Qatar in 2010, with summer temperatures in the Gulf emirate reaching the upper-40s Celsius.
The idea of switching the World Cup to cooler winter months does not sit comfortably with all officials of Europe’s big leagues.
Gas-rich Qatar has also come under the spotlight over foreign workers’ rights as well as accusations that corruption played a part in winning the right to host the World Cup.
Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper has alleged that former Qatari football boss Mohamed Bin Hammam paid more than $US5 million ($A5.55 million) to gain support for the emirate ahead of the vote.
Qatar has strongly denied the allegations.
FIFA’s ethic committee is to announce in early 2015 the results of its investigation into the attribution of not only the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, but also the 2018 edition to Russia.
AR
Guest
"They didn’t want any disruptions to their AFL, so they should not be entitled to any of the economic benefits." Leonardo, it's a shame you talk so passionately about things you know nothing about. As part of our official World Cup bid, the AFL agreed to make available 7 stadiums across the country - including 2 in Victoria (the MCG and Geelong stadium). What's also interesting, is that 4 of the 5 biggest stadiums in our official bid are used for AFL matches...and the AFL agreed to vacate them in order for the WC Tournament to go ahead. Try again kiddo.
JohnL
Guest
So you are saying that FIFA are not experts in their own tournaments? Says alot
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@JohnL I pick the expert that is relevant to the issue being discussed. If I want expertise on Football administrative issues, I'll refer to Fifa's documents. If I want expertise on political power & geographical boundaries in 1974 I'll refer to political history books & a 1974 atlas. In 1974, West Germany hosted the World Cup. East Germany did not host the world cup. In 2006, a unified Germany hosted the World Cup. The 4 stars on the shirt of unified Germany is certainly an issue worth discussing & an argument mounted to say it is inappropriate.
AR
Guest
Thanks for letting us know what "real" people are discussing. In any event, the thrust of your point seems to be that rugby league is the number one sport in Sydney. Er...no kidding.
JohnL
Guest
If FIFA lists the 1974 World Cup as being held in Germany, then I will take their opinion over yours any day of the week. http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/tournaments/worldcup/organisation/index.html We all know how much you back the opinion of top level coaches over us mere mortals, so surely you back the opinion of the sport's leading body, right? With your view on things, I bet you object to Germany wearing 4 stars on their shirts these days (or even wearing 3 prior to July this year), as in your eyes, Germany have only won 1 World Cup.
JonJax
Guest
AR:, "most adults can walk and chew gum at the same time." True - but they get to choose the flavor! The ground truth in Sydney is that the even though the Aussie Rules GF and the Swans have captured some column inches in the legacy media - (certainly legacy media has to find copy somewhere and it can't all be taken up with it's terrorism hysteria. BUT the water cooler conversation- real conversation - by real people, is the Souths v Easts Semi on Friday night. Sydney's eastern & south eastern suburbs are abuzz at this one!
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@JohnL In 1974 the World Cup was hosted by West Germany. In 2006, the World Cup was hosted by Germany. You may not have been alive during the era before & during the fall of the Berlin Wall, but I can assure you West Germany in 1974 was not the same country as Germany in 2006.
AR
Guest
I'm pretty comfortable in my understanding of how contracts, and in particular, litigation works. I'm just bemused that you dismiss it as "hardly a big deal". That flippant attitude would most certainly not be shared by the parties invovled. But it's really neither here nor there...
Lion Down Under
Guest
The final wouldn't be played at the MCG, that would go to a refurbished Olympic Stadium (it would be 23 years old in 2022 so would need one anyway) but yes, not having a semi-final at the MCG would be churlish. It would probably be the only game needed there if AAMI Park was properly developed to FIFA WC standard. Other semi-final at Lang Park.
AR
Guest
Unlike your ol' self Fuss, most adults can walk and chew gum at the same time.
clayts
Guest
Agree totally. It would surely be a condition that at least one match (if not the final itself) would be at the MCG. Surely
Adrian none
Roar Rookie
it's not just Qatar, but Russia as well...i just don't see how Russia will pay for World Cup 2018, when USA and EU has sanctions on Russian Bank and oil company
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Do you understand the legal concept of "void ab initio" that's been entrenched in common law of contract for the past 100+years? The potential compensation should be equal to whatever money Fifa has received from broadcasters for a June/July 2022 World Cup. Unless the US broadcasters are irrational, they would not have paid the full contract amount 8 years before the event.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@ Me Too It's AFL grand final week - the biggest, most important week in the year for AFL fans anywhere in the world .. and you're immersed in a discussion about a football event that will occur in 8 years? Wow ... the sporting landscape in Australia has changed in ways I never ever could have imagined. Imagine the frenzy in the 12 months leading up to a potential Australia-hosted World Cup? Other sports will be fully exposed for their insignificance.
Bondy
Guest
The permutations continue never a dull moment in this sport ...
Squizz
Guest
I like this idea as well. The obvious favourites are the US. However, the World Cup has only been in Asia once. Since the AFC won the right to host I can see a case being made for the bids to be restricted to Asia. I would love it to be here (or shared with Indonesia) and view this as the only opportunity for us to host in my lifetime. China will eventually bid and any advantage we have over Japan and Korea due to them hosting recently in 2002 will diminish over time. As time goes by even India may be a rival bidder. For us to host in 2022 though will take a series of miracles. 1) Qatar will need to be stripped of it. 2) FIFA will need to restrict the bids to Asia to recompense the federation for losing the Qatar hosting 3) China would need to decide not to bid 4) We would need to put in a better bid 5) The committee would need to consider the 2002 - 2022 gap too small for Korea and Japan If were to get to host ourselves (or indeed share it) we need to make it about football grounds - not ovals. Upgrades to Homebush Newcastle Brisbane AAMI New 30,000 stadiums expandable to 45.000 stadiums at Parklands - SWS team at Liverpool Civic - new Canberra City stadium Springfield - 2nd Brisbane team Townsville - Stadium Northern Australia - main tenant will be NQ cowboys but a NQ team could play out of there. Adelaide Riverside Current plans for NIB are for a stadium of 25,000. Maybe that can be looked at for a temporary expansion to 45,000. Otherwise the only oval ground guaranteed should be the new Perth stadium. If Victoria want bigger games then the MCG and Adelaide Oval need to be made available. The Vic and SA Govt should be paving the way on behalf of their constituents. If they don't want the larger games then they won't get them - only group and round of 16 games for those cities.
Me Too
Guest
Don't spoil it. They're having fun.
Leonardo
Roar Guru
Absolutely - no FIFA WC games in Mebourne if its ever taken away from corrupt Qatar and given to fair Australia. They didn't want any disruptions to their AFL, so they should not be entitled to any of the economic benefits. Certainly we can stage a FIFA World Cup without Melbourne.
AR
Guest
Try re-reading my comment.
AR
Guest
So a $300m contract is frustrated, voided, and compensation promptly paid. Bingo! Easy. Not a big deal at all.