Last
week, in a revealing but not shocking statement, a FIFA Executive Committee
member communicated his personal belief that the 2022 World Cup would take
place in Qatar. The committee member, Theo Zwanziger, in essence, said what
many of us have been thinking: Qatar was wrongly awarded the FIFA World Cup.
Qatar,
which was awarded the tournament in 2010, is known for its dangerously hot
conditions, sometimes reaching higher than 115 degrees Fahrenheit. FIFA was aware
of these conditions 4 years ago. FIFA even considered moving the tournament
from the traditional summertime, to the winter with hopes of cooler conditions.
Even in the winter is the heat unbearable and can create many issues for
players’ and spectators’ health. Qatar has insisted that it will able to
neutralize the playing conditions through cooling technology in stadiums.
In
his comments, Zwanziger justly notes that the World Cup does not merely take
place within the stadiums, but around the city wherever supporters and teams
go. The threat of injury is far too high for FIFA to take on possible lawsuits.
Domestic
leagues around the world are neither in favor of a winter World Cup, as it
would disrupt their regular season campaign, as well as designated tournament
play.
Zwanziger’s
comments has placed a new wave on FIFA to answer questions about the World Cup.
A notoriously corrupt governing body, FIFA continues to fend off any doubts
that Qatar will be stripped of its award, four years after collecting a
handsome purse from the tiny sovereign state.
The
biggest issue, which transcends soccer, has been the ongoing deaths of migrant
workers. Workers are being overworked, in these deadly conditions, without
consideration. The International Trade Union Confederation has projected that
some 4,000 workers may die before 2022, if current conditions are not improved.
FIFA continues to turn its back on the issue.
On Thursday, Senator Bob
Casey (D-Pa.) joined Zwanziger placing more pressure on FIFA, requesting it publicize
documents relating to an investigation conducted by the federation, relating to
corruption of its 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids. FIFA’s refusal to release the
report calls into question, for what reasons was Qatar awarded the World Cup; it
certainly isn’t because of the playing conditions, the booming amount of
infrastructure, or the ethical labor practices. If in fact Qatar were stripped
of the World Cup, there is a chance that it will fall in the hands of the
second-place bidder: the United States of America.
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