In an interview with British press, FIFA’s medical chief has said there is no way Qatar will be losing its right to hold the 2022 World Cup.
Speaking to the London Evening Standard yesterday, Michel D’Hooghe, who also has been a longtime supporter of shifting the games to the winter, said:
“There will be absolutely no re-vote. Some in the English press want that. But it’s not the English press that decide.”
He continued, commenting on the failed World Cup bids of the UK and his own country, Belgium:
“In football you win and you lose. If England feel they have not had a World Cup since 1966, then Belgium has never had the World Cup. England must not complain. They just had the Olympics and organized it fantastically.”
The doctor’s comments come on the heels of an investigation by the Telegraph that renews bribery concerns between FIFA officials and a Qatari involved in the bid process in 2010.
Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy has denied any wrongdoing, and said that it is “unaware of any allegations surrounding business dealings between private individuals.”
While D’Hooghe denied all corruption allegations, he told the Standard that FIFA did make one error in 2010, when it decided on Russia for 2018 and Qatar for 2022:
“We decided two World Cups at the same time. Why did we make the mistake? Under pressure of our marketing brothers who said, ‘If we can sell our marketing products for two World Cups, we will have much better financial results.’ I plead guilty like all my colleagues.”
Rescheduling the tournament
A year ago, following a visit to Qatar, D’Hooghe added his voice to a chorus of officials in favor of rescheduling the 2022 World Cup from July and August to later in the year.
The controversial idea has gained support among other senior officials, including Union of European Football Associations (EUFA) president Michel Platini and FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valecke.
Qatar has long maintained that it is not averse to changing the schedule of the games, if that is what FIFA wants. But complaints about how shifting the tournament dates would affect players, fan and others sports have also arisen.
FIFA has said it would revisit the idea of moving the games to the winter once the 2014 World Cup in Brazil is finished. According to the Standard, the process will begin in December and a final decision is due next March.
Thoughts?
He’s right the English media do not decide who get to host a world cup, whoever pays FIFA directly or indirectly the most money gets to decide. The more money you generate for FIFA members, their families and their associates the more votes you will secure.
Maybe we can stop pretending now that FIFA exists for the love of the game and accept the reality it exists to make FIFA and its members richer.
So the good doctor was under pressure from his marketing brothers who wanted much better financial results, so he chose money over players’ health. I hope than one day FIFA would have a Medical Chief who would rather consider the football players his brothers and make sure that their health and safety are his top priorities. Not in Blatter’s FIFA , I’m afraid…
How did he choose money over players health? He’s not a voting member.
Huh? You could have easily found the answer to your question on Google:
“Michel D’Hooghe is a Belgian member of the FIFA Executive Committee.[1] In August 2011 he admitted that Viacheslav Koloskov, an adviser for Russia’s successful bid for the 2018 World Cup, visited him in his hometown of Bruges and gave him a valuable painting while lobbying for his vote.[1] He has since described the painting as a “poisonous gift” and has notified FIFA officially about it, since its acceptance is in contravention to the FIFA rules that govern lobbying.[1]”
Yes he notified FIFA when he got found out, otherwise he would have kept quiet and kept his bribe…
I stand humbly corrected.
Strange comments from a doctor. Anyway he is not a heavy-weight within FIFA
I genuinely wish they withdraw the World Cup from us. Its a waste of resources and will create years years of traffic .. Not to mention the influx of labor
the citizens of the tiny nation are really not into sports;Local soccer clubs are barely filled with audience and are paid to watch. what’s in it for the tiny State is that the whole idea of hosting the World Cup–is because of it’s Economic impact or Return of investment ..makes good business sense doesn’t it?
don’t have to worry about the labours they just fall off buildings and are properly disposed.how ungrateful ….. =(
For the elite, it’s the prestige. For the fat cats, it’s the money. For the rest, it’s a total chaos.
Actually, there’s another group. For the expats of all nations who will be working on the projects: it’s a chance for us to save capital for our own future. Sure, we will whinge about conditions, and hopefully try to make the best of living here, but don’t lose sight of the endgame! Qatar 2022 is also about spreading Qatar’s wealth far and wide….
Yep, there will be leftovers from the feast
Refreshing honesty
the cons of hosting has grossly outweigh the pros of hosting FIFA World Cup … as of today.
http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-27450-german-minister-calls-for-qatar-world-cup-rethink/#.U0KrAygY1fs