Ex-Qatar confederation chief warns of European boycott over heat

By Andrew Warshaw

December 9 – Qatar’s insistence that hosting the 2022 World Cup in the heat of mid-summer would be negated by their revolutionary cooling plans has been questioned by the former head of their own confederation.

Following Frank Beckenbauer’s suggestion that the tournament be switched to January or February because of the desert state’s sweltering conditions, former Asian Football Confederation general secretary Peter Velappan (pictured) says cooling down stadiums and training grounds was “not a solution”.

Velappan even warned that some European teams may boycott the tournament due to summer temperature than can top 50 degrees.

“Qatar is a nice country…but there is no way football can be played in June and July there,” said Velappan.

“No player will ever want to play in these conditions.

“I would strongly recommend that FIFA reschedule the tournament to January, February.

“FIFA is obliged to do everything possible to provide the best for the teams and the football fans.”

Velappan’s comments echoed those of Beckenbauer, who said earlier this month that making a one-time change to the European league fixture schedule to allow the World Cup to be played in winter would be a cheaper solution than air conditioning all stadiums.

Throughout Qatar’s campaign, officials took every opportunity to downplay the heat factor.

I visited the Gulf state only last month and although the courtesy and commitment of the Qataris cannot be faulted – neither can their attention to detail – it was nevertheless baking hot just standing in the open air or walking in the street.

And this was November, remember.

Public relations guru Mike Lee, who played a significant role in Qatar’s victorious 2022 bid, said the country’s infrastructure had come on in leaps and bounds in recent years – and would improve still further.

“If you look at what Qatar did in the campaign, it is there, it works in terms of open, air-cooled stadiums, and it is now solar powered,” he told BBC radio recently.

“Qatar is a place that is changing very quickly, it has amazing resources.

“In the next 12 years it will be unrecognisable.”

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