Sepp wants WC in Qatar 2022 during winter

Sepp Blatter says Qatar 2022 World Cup should be played in winter, here we go…
Joe Prince-Wright Jul 17, 2013, 12:28 PM EDT
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FIFA President Sepp Blatter waves to the media during his visit with Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussain, FIFA Vice President Asia, to the Al Zaatri refugee camp in the Jordanian city of Mafraq
Reuters
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Sepp Blatter.

And FIFA’s President never disappoints.

Blatter has today reiterated his appeal to move the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to the winter to avoid the searing summer heat. Temperatures in the tiny emirate state reach an average of 106 degrees in July and August.

But FIFA decided they wanted to have the World Cup there.

In the past Blatter raised massive concerns about whether or not a World Cup should take place in the summer in the Middle Eastern country and those issues have come to the fore once more.

Speaking in Austria earlier today, Blatter aired his views. “If this World Cup is to become a party for the people, you can’t play football in the summer. You can cool down the stadiums but you can’t cool down the whole country.”

And Blatter also touched on if they can agree to change the league schedules in pretty much every country across the globe to accommodate a winter World Cup in Qatar. “There is still enough time. I will bring this up to the executive committee.”

You do that, Sepp.

In the original report on Qatar’s bid before they were given the World Cup in 2010, health concerns were raised about them hosting the tournament. But FIFA’s executive committee decided they would give the massive event to Qatar and fancy plans for outside air-conditioned stadiums were waved around triumphantly.

That was then, this is now.

Blatter has never publicly stated if he backed the bid. But with continued comments like this, you have to wonder whether Sepp and the committee are rethinking the decision to host the World Cup there altogether. Qatar has already been in the news this week, with its plans to buy 118 tanks to police the event already causing concern.

(MORE: Qatar set to purchase 118 tanks to prepare for 2022 World Cup)

And if the proposed air-conditioned stadiums don’t work out then there’s a huge problem. It is unsafe for anybody to watch the games and even though the venues may be okay, what about outside?

It has to be in the winter. FIFA knew that when they chose Qatar as the hosts. Surely? But expect this debate to rumble on for many months until a final decision is made.

Safe to say English Premier League, Serie A, La Liga and Bundesliga bosses will not be impressed. The huge upheaval of having to change around their whole season will irritate the purists.

But when all is said and done, who can argue with having a World Cup around Christmas time and then the EPL and other European leagues running throughout the summer months? That’s soccer heaven for most people.

I’m with Sepp on this one. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has to be in the winter. He should have nothing to discuss with FIFA’s executive committee…

Grooverider wrote:Stupid choice of host country.
Stupid idea.
Stupid Sepp.
Stupid FIFA.
Stupid idea of moving European leagues to accommodate a stupid idea.

 

7amood11 wrote:I've said it before, and I'll say it again. All of you doubters are just too butthurt to acknowledge that Qatar will be a great host nation.

If South Africa was considered a good host, Qatar will be out if this world come 2022.

VivaStPauli wrote:It's fun how they went to "don't worry, we'll manage the summer heat" to "a winter WC is an awesome idea" within just 6 months.

B-Mac MUFC wrote:i wonder what GL will be like in 2022  

stevieg8 wrote:

7amood11 wrote:I've said it before, and I'll say it again. All of you doubters are just too butthurt to acknowledge that Qatar will be a great host nation.

If South Africa was considered a good host, Qatar will be out if this world come 2022.

It's entirely possible that the stadiums and all the amenities are going to be great there, although I doubt that too, but no extent of success will forgive it if they can't find a way around the summer heat LIKE THEY PROMISED IN THEIR BID.  If they require a hiatus in the European leagues for the WC, it will be a massive failure on the part of both FIFA and the host country.  Players getting fatigued or worse, injured, in the middle of the season which could impact title races, CL spots and relegation races?  That season would have the biggest asterisk next to it ever.

If your country doesn't have a viable plan to mitigate its summer weather, it shouldn't bid in the first place.

farfan wrote:
so what if it's too hot? players need to man up and stop acting like sissies

7amood11 wrote:
And you have no idea what you are talking about smh.

have you ever been in that kind of heat? because trust me it has nothing to do with being a sissy..