By Andrew Warshaw
November 27 – In an address to the Asian Football Confederation at its awards ceremony dinner in Malaysia, FIFA President Sepp Blatter rounded on the international media, “and especially European media”, for constantly undermining 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar.
Blatter, who last week described the labour rights situation in the Gulf state as “unacceptable”, has now turned defender of Qatar over what he called “unfair” European media attacks.
“It is not fair when the international media, and especially European media, are taking up the focus of an Arab country … by attacking, attacking, criticising this country. We are defending it,” Blatter told delegates.
“We have taken a decision to play a World Cup in the Arabic world and we have taken the decision to play in Qatar and we will go and play this … in 2022 in Qatar.”
The comments drew typically widespread applause, with AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Al Khalifa agreeing. “I think what’s been said is too much,” he told reporters later.
“Qatar is part of Asia and we will support the World Cup in Asia. I’m sure when the time comes we will see the success the Qataris have brought to this event.
“I think what they have been doing so far by the look of the infrastructure and all of the facilities that are going to be built for this occasion, I’m sure it will be a successful World Cup.”
Blatter is believed to have voted for the United States instead of Qatar but has been at pains to steer a balanced path ever since the ballot in December 2010.
Although he has expressed his concern about the treatment of migrant workers, he has also pointed the finger at countries like France and Germany who stand to gain economically from the decision to award the World Cup to the Gulf state.
UEFA president Michel Platini, who has openly said he voted for Qatar, has not yet made up his mind whether to go for the FIFA presidency in 2015. Much could depend on what Blatter decides but garnering support from the AFC’s 47 members could prove pivotal.
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