Former President of FIFA Sepp Blatter has admitted that awarding Qatar the hosting rights for the FIFA World Cup 2022 was a mistake. Blatter, who is now cleared of charge for fraud during his spell as the President of FIFA spoke to the media on Tuesday where he admitted that FIFA made a big mistake as the tournament hampered the usual football calendar with its winter edition.
"Qatar is a mistake," Blatter said in conversation with Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger adding that "the choice was bad."
Blatter, who led FIFA for 17 years, has also been embroiled in accusations of corruption during his tenure. He was cleared of fraud by a Swiss court in June. The prosecutors have appealed the ruling.
“It is too small of a country. Football and the World Cup are too big for it," Blatter said of Qatar, the first country in the Middle East to host the tournament.
"Since then, social considerations and human rights are taken into account," he said.
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Blatter further added that FIFA in 2012 amended the criteria it used to select host countries in light of concerns over the working conditions at tournament-related construction sites in Qatar.
Blatter said he will be watching the tournament, which kicks off in less than two weeks, from his home in Zurich.
The FIFA World Cup is all set to take the center stage in less than two weeks as 32 teams will gather in Qatar. This will be the first time that the FIFA World Cup will be played in the winter months of November and December. The FIFA World Cup is usually scheduled in June and July which guarantees the smooth functioning of the club season.
However, with the FIFA World Cup taking place, the club season will now take a pause as teams fight for ultimate glory. Teams like Brazil, Argentina, and France are the heavy favourites to clinch the title with the final taking place on November (18) in Doha.
