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FIFA executive member says giving the World Cup to Qatar was a blatant mistake

Alberto7

By Alberto7
in World Soccer

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RJB Experienced

RJB

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I think FIFA may need to be more careful than they are being right now. Moving the World Cup to the winter was not what was bid on, and I fully expect there would be legal action. What other countries would have bid had they know that was an option? I can see this as an opportunity for the big nations to break for their own break away tournament: Imagine many of the winter league nations having their own 16-32 team competition! If FIFA doesn't tread a little more lightly, I can see this happening.

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Unnamed Trialist Grand Master

Unnamed Trialist

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I think FIFA may need to be more careful than they are being right now. Moving the World Cup to the winter was not what was bid on, and I fully expect there would be legal action. What other countries would have bid had they know that was an option? I can see this as an opportunity for the big nations to break for their own break away tournament: Imagine many of the winter league nations having their own 16-32 team competition! If FIFA doesn't tread a little more lightly, I can see this happening.

Not a single serious player or nation in the world would ever consider a renegade position with regards to FIFA, who "own" the game, FIFA is the game´s trust. It is played as is right now because of FIFA, and the consequences of going against a FIFA ruling is exile.

I personally think that is good, you cannot seriously argue that having one sometimes overhanded FIFA is better than what happens with other sports, and I am not just talking about boxing with its many world titles.

I understand the legal arguments that the Qatar bid was in a set of terms and to change them might be a type of fraud, but let´s be a bit flexible here. Sports management is a lot about experience, and experience means ability to adjust, not stubborness. The tournament is a long ways away and if a positive adjustment could be made, then make it. But I don´t think would ever involve a winter WC for Qatar.

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RJB Experienced

RJB

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Not a single serious player or nation in the world would ever consider a renegade position with regards to FIFA, who "own" the game, FIFA is the game´s trust. It is played as is right now because of FIFA, and the consequences of going against a FIFA ruling is exile.

I personally think that is good, you cannot seriously argue that having one sometimes overhanded FIFA is better than what happens with other sports, and I am not just talking about boxing with its many world titles.

I understand the legal arguments that the Qatar bid was in a set of terms and to change them might be a type of fraud, but let´s be a bit flexible here. Sports management is a lot about experience, and experience means ability to adjust, not stubborness. The tournament is a long ways away and if a positive adjustment could be made, then make it. But I don´t think would ever involve a winter WC for Qatar.

I'm certainly not arguing in favour of this. But you must admit, that if UEFA decided as a whole that this was bunk and pulled out, or just had a EURO tournament instead, then the World Cup would be pretty uninteresting. Where would the sponsors put their money? I see this threat as possible, however unlikely.

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Cheeta Grand Master

Cheeta

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Not a single serious player or nation in the world would ever consider a renegade position with regards to FIFA, who "own" the game, FIFA is the game´s trust. It is played as is right now because of FIFA, and the consequences of going against a FIFA ruling is exile.

...

Have to give you that (even though I think exile is a Red Herring, at least so far as the Big Fish of UEFA are concerned) thing is I don't think it's only one serious player which is considering their options its a number of serious players. Two major players in Europe come to an accord off-camera and a winter move is off long before it becomes a very nasty public distraction.

And its easier to sign onto when you know England is going to wear most of the blame regardless of how big a role your nation played in sinking any winter option. And they'll be glad to wear. It'll give them a sense of empowerment.

The more I think about it the more I'm convinced everybody better start packing some SPF1000.

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alberta white Newbie

alberta white

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Have to give you that (even though I think exile is a Red Herring, at least so far as the Big Fish of UEFA are concerned) thing is I don't think it's only one serious player which is considering their options its a number of serious players. Two major players in Europe come to an accord off-camera and a winter move is off long before it becomes a very nasty public distraction.

And its easier to sign onto when you know England is going to wear most of the blame regardless of how big a role your nation played in sinking any winter option. And they'll be glad to wear. It'll give them a sense of empowerment.

The more I think about it the more I'm convinced everybody better start packing some SPF1000.

And just remember to drink little but often...Oh no, wait on ...That's Australia!

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xcalibre Contributor

xcalibre

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Most likely is a Nov/Dec 2022 tournament with the final on Sunday December 18, Qatari National Day. MLS season will need tweaking but not as much as the Euro leagues. This is going to come to a head but I get the feeling FIFA will win out in the end and it will go ahead in winter

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alberta white Newbie

alberta white

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Most likely is a Nov/Dec 2022 tournament with the final on Sunday December 18, Qatari National Day. MLS season will need tweaking but not as much as the Euro leagues. This is going to come to a head but I get the feeling FIFA will win out in the end and it will go ahead in winter

Because we all have NOTHING of importance going on in December do we?

Ever wondered why they play through Christmas in the UK? Because it's the highest grossing period for clubs in the lower leagues. Depending on when Christmas falls there are upwards of five games in Two weeks. Add to that the FA Cup matches which have steadily been increasing in attendance over the last few years The Football league and the EPL, as already noted will not readily stand down without a fight.

I'd be less surprised to see the World Cup in 2022 go ahead in the Winter without UK/ English involvement.

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Blackdude Newbie

Blackdude

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Can't be bothered to look it up but in the entire history of the World Cup Finals has their ever been a winter tournament?

Might not be relevant in modern terms but is there some sort of precedent for something like that happening?

Uruguay 1930 Brazil 1950 Chile 1962 Argentina 1978 South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014

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narduch Grand Master

narduch

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Sorry, I lied, I could be bothered to look it up.

Every World Cup Finals ever, played on 5 different continents, has been held in either June or July (or both).

The 1956 Summer Olympics were held in Australia in November/December.

The IOC is willing to move its events for better weather, although in more recent years it is less extreme. (more like September).

As for the FIFA issue, my take is that countries that are hot in June and July should not be excluded from hosting World Cups. I don't really agree with Qatar hosting though but that doesn't mean hot countries should miss out.

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amacpher Newbie

amacpher

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The 1956 Summer Olympics were held in Australia in November/December.

The IOC is willing to move its events for better weather, although in more recent years it is less extreme. (more like September).

As for the FIFA issue, my take is that countries that are hot in June and July should not be excluded from hosting World Cups. I don't really agree with Qatar hosting though but that doesn't mean hot countries should miss out.

Yeah, that makes sense. Also, honest question: how hot is it really in June/July in Qatar at night compared to northern Brazil during the mid-afternoon? And doesn't the Amazon region get like 10-14 inches of rain per month?

These questions occurred to me when I saw that pretty much every 2014 WC match will be played during the day, with just a few games in the group stage kicking-off in the early evening. For the same reason (convenience of the European TV audience), probably in Qatar almost all the matches will kick-off after sunset. I would expect 7:00p and 9:30p to be the local kick-off times each day.

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alberta white Newbie

alberta white

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The 1956 Summer Olympics were held in Australia in November/December.

The IOC is willing to move its events for better weather, although in more recent years it is less extreme. (more like September).

As for the FIFA issue, my take is that countries that are hot in June and July should not be excluded from hosting World Cups. I don't really agree with Qatar hosting though but that doesn't mean hot countries should miss out.

I'd imagine that in 1956 hosting in June July would not have worked due to the average Melbonites Obssesion with Aussie Rules football and the requirements of the VFL regarding the MCG.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956_VFL_season

(note the intricate rescheduling that went on to prep the MCG and organize the Demons "home" fixtures.)

Imagine the Mayor of Melbourne standing on the Town hall steps and announcing to the populace of the city that they were cancelling the VFL for that season to facilitate an Olympiad? I think his lot would have been a one way ticket to Snowtown in South Australia.

Besides the weather at that time of the year can be absolutely horrible so far as rain is concerned.

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Sport Shaman Newbie

Sport Shaman

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Maybe Qatar should install open air cold showers next to their technical area for the players to cool down.

Apparently players, fans and other commenters in general have one more reason to get worked up about having the World Cup in Qatar.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/18/qatar-accidental-vagina-stadium-al-wakrah-world-cup-stadium

Not even sure what to say about this. :D

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