Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA erstwhile Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup hosting rights successful 2010, told Swiss paper Tages Anzeiger that "Qatar is simply a mistake," adding that "the prime was bad."
The Qatar determination has been marred by controversy, including allegations of corruption and quality rights violations, since it was announced.
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Blatter, who led FIFA for 17 years, has besides been embroiled successful accusations of corruption during his tenure. He was cleared of fraud by a Swiss tribunal successful June. The prosecutors person appealed the ruling.
"It is excessively tiny of a country. Football and the World Cup are excessively large for it," Blatter said of Qatar, the archetypal state successful the Middle East to big the tournament.
He said FIFA amended the criteria it utilized to prime big countries successful 2012 successful airy of concerns implicit the moving conditions astatine tournament-related operation sites successful Qatar.
"Since then, societal considerations and quality rights are taken into account," helium said.
Blatter said helium volition beryllium watching the tournament, which kicks disconnected successful little than 2 weeks, from his location successful Zurich.
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