Friday May 25, 2012

Qatar and Russia World Cups make sense

By John Leicester

Commentary ( 13 )

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13 Comments

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  • 0

    jonswan

    The choices were certainly intriguing, but bonkers too - Russia is totally corrupt from end to end and will need massive infrastructure development seeing as the games may be thousands of miles apart - sounds like a logistical nightmare. Qatar doesn't even have enough space for the stadiums - is the whole country as big as Tokyo? And the 50-degree summer heat? They say they'll build huge air conditioning systems for the stadiums, which sounds environmentally ruinous. I think at least one of 2018 or 2022 should've gone to Spain - they won it!

  • 0

    northlondon

    Does anyone else get the feeling that this article is a waste of time ? If any news site needs a page filler, then here it is. How can a tournament for a sport famous for it's greed and lopsided riches, make Russia and Qatar better places to live ? Explain to me Mr. Leicester, exactly how the World Cup tournament will stop mafia activity in Russia and improve womens rights in Qatar ? Don't you think that FIFA should instead be sending a message to Russia and Qatar that they will not award them with a World Cup until get their houses in order ? And that FIFA should be awarding the World Cup to countries who do have democracy and human rights as a message to the others ?

    Oh, and hold on a minute. Yes, there it is. The anti-muslim/ anti-Islam rhetoric rears it's ugly head yet again. Just when you think this journalist is writing a serious piece about the smaller footballing nations being awarded the World Cup, he breaks into a religious rant.

  • 0

    mrsynik

    Don't you think that FIFA should instead be sending a message to Russia and Qatar that they will not award them with a World Cup until get their houses in order ? And that FIFA should be awarding the World Cup to countries who do have democracy and human rights as a message to the others ?

    Now why would they do that? These guys are as morally and ethically bankrupt as the IOC. These guys at FIFA seem to be following their lead in everyway - open to bribes and giving tournaments to crooked regimes - Beijing 2008, Moscow 1980 and going back even further Berlin 1936 spring to mind as examples there.

  • 0

    paulinusa

    "Qatar and Russia World Cups make [non]sense"

  • 0

    Smorkian

    Russia is fine, but there are many other places in the gulf region that make more sense than Qatar. It's hard to imagine a place that makes less sense than Qatar. Why not give the world cup to Singapore?

  • 0

    Mittsu

    rubbish. Both not the best choices, specially Qatar.

  • 0

    cactusJack

    "leads to more young Russians playing and watching football, steering them away from vodka," Psst. Hey. Budweiser Beer is a 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Sponsor. Nuff said.

  • 0

    Zenny11

    American Bud is the McD of Beers, not much of a sponsor.

    Lets see how Quatar & Russia will do, some very nice cities in Russia.

  • 0

    ADK99

    I'm English so was naturally hoping that football would go home, but I can just about live with Russia - biggest country in the world, proper football culture, never hosted it before. A case can be made.

    Qatar is a bad joke. It's FAR too small to host a world cup, it's too hot, you can't get a beer, they don't have anywhere near enough hotel rooms nor any sensible plan to build them - how does a country of 1.6 million plan to accommodate 400,000 visitors? There is simply no justification for this, and the only conclusion for this is that a lot of Fifa delegates made a lot of money on this. Shameful.

  • 0

    Fadamor

    Quatar will be an interesting World Cup. Being a Muslim country, alcohol is banned. Where are the hooligans going to get their daily dose of "courage" from?

  • 0

    imacat

    I've been to Qatar for a business trip.

    Everyday, on my hosts' advice, I took the taxi from my hotel to the company. It took precisely 2 minutes.

    One day I thought I'd be adventurous and walk.

    It only took about 10 minutes but was the most uncomfortable walk I had every had.

    I arrived at work drenched in sweat, gasping for breath and almost unable to move for 30 minutes.

    Ridiculous climate!

    Air-con stadiums? It's an outrage on all levels... environmental, sporting, cost...

  • 0

    Aussieguy

    Briberi.. is all i can say.. Australia should of had this.. if it wasn't for money exchanging hands under the table..

  • 0

    RobbieFowler

    who is this author? Does he think Qatar make s sense if you are gay or lesbian.....would be interested to hear reply......

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