By Andrew Warshaw
October 6 – Arguably the most powerful official in Asian sport says he will not allow opponents in the media to railroad Qatar’s right to stage the 2022 World Cup.
As the debate over US attorney Michael Garcia’s comprehensive report into possible corruption surrounding the 2018 and 2022 bid process intensifies, Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), says he will do everything in his power to make sure the latter tournament remains in the Gulf state.
Pointedly accusing Qatar’s critics in the media of racism, the highly influential Sheikh Ahmad told AFP: “I think Qatar got it (the World Cup) fairly, with the procedures of FIFA, and we won’t take the World Cup from Qatar because of some negative media opinion,”.
“We will resist until the end and we will fight for the right of Qatar until the end because we think it’s related more to racism than reality.
“I think it’s more racism than reality… the majority (of racism is from) the media.”
Garcia, who heads the investigatory arm of Fifa’s ethics committee, wants his report to be made public as do many of Fifa’s most senior officials. But that is looking increasingly unlikely since, according to Fifa, such action would break strict confidentality rules after evidence was provided by more than 75 witnesses.
Speaking at the Asian Games in Incheon, Skeikh Ahmed said he thought it was “reasonable” to hold Qatar’s World Cup in winter rather than summer – a final decision on dates should be made next spring – but that there were no grounds for stripping Qatar of the tournament or holding a fresh ballot.
“I will support Qatar World Cup 2022 until the end. I don’t find any reason that anything will be negative for the Qatar fight,” he said.
