Sepp Blatter has said it was a mistake to award Qatar this year's World Cup, with the disgraced former FIFA president claiming that members of the governing body's executive committee had initially decided it should instead go to the United States. The tiny Gulf state was given hosting rights following a controversial vote in 2010 that led to the demise of Blatter and UEFA chief Michel Platini. Now, in an interview with Tages-Anzeiger, Blatter has claimed that it had been agreed to have the US follow Russia as 'a gesture of peace' only for Platini to change his mind after coming under pressure from then French president Nicolas Sarkozy. Platini has previously denied that he was told to vote for Qatar but in 2013 said that he was invited to dine with Sarkozy only for the emir of Qatar to be also present. 'I could understand for myself that Sarkozy was interested in Qatar organising the World Cup. But he did not make that request to me,' Platini said. FIFA chief tells World Cup fans Qatar is 'most hospitable place on earth' Qatar paying England fans to attend World Cup and spread positive messages 'The choice of Qatar was a mistake,' Blatter said. 'At the time, we actually agreed in the Executive Committee that Russia should get the 2018 World Cup and the USA that of 2022. It would have been a gesture of peace if the two long-standing political opponents had hosted the World Cup one after the other.' Qatar has been strongly criticised for its human rights record during the 12-year build up to the tournament. An estimated 6,500 migrant workers have died during the building of infrastructure for the tournament, while homosexuality remains illegal. But when asked wh){kind=link}
The former FIFA president, who was banned in 2015, has claimed that the governing body initially wanted the US to host this year’s tournament
Sepp Blatter has said it was a mistake to award Qatar this year’s World Cup, with the disgraced former FIFA president claiming that members of the governing body’s executive committee had initially decided it should instead go to the United States.
The tiny Gulf state was given hosting rights following a controversial vote in 2010 that led to the demise of Blatter and UEFA chief Michel Platini.
Now, in an interview with Tages-Anzeiger, Blatter has claimed that it had been agreed to have the US follow Russia as “a gesture of peace” only for Platini to change his mind after coming under pressure from then French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
Platini has previously denied that he was told to vote for Qatar but in 2013 said that he was invited to dine with Sarkozy only for the emir of Qatar to be also present. “I could understand for myself that Sarkozy was interested in Qatar organising the World Cup. But he did not make that request to me,” Platini said.