Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup bid

During May 2011, bribery on the part of two members of the FIFA Executive Committee were tabled by Lord Triesman of the English FA. These allegations were based on information from a whistleblower involved with the Qatari bid. FIFA has since opened an internal inquiry into the matter, and a revote on the 2022 World Cup remains a possibility if the allegations are proven. FIFA president Sepp Blatter has admitted that there is a ground swell of popular support to re-hold the 2022 vote won by Qatar.[13]

In testimony to a UK parliamentary inquiry board in May 2011, Lord Triesman alleged that Trinidad and Tobago's Jack Warner demanded $4 million for an education center in his country and Paraguay's Nicolás Léoz asked for an honorary knighthood in exchange for their votes. Also, two Sunday Times reporters testified that they had been told that Jacques Anouma of the Ivory Coast and Issa Hayatou of Cameroon were each paid $1.5 million to support Qatar's bid for the tournament. All four have denied the allegations.[14] Mohammed bin Hammam, who played a key role in securing the games for Qatar, withdrew as a candidate for president of FIFA in May 2011 after being accused of bribing 25 FIFA officials to vote for his candidacy.[15] Both Bin Hammam and Warner were suspended by FIFA in wake of these allegations,[16] with Warner reacting to his suspension by questioning Blatter's conduct and adding that FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke had also told him that Qatar had bought the 2022 World Cup.[17] Valcke subsequently issued a statement denying he had suggested it was bribery, saying instead that the country had "used its financial muscle to lobby for support".

Qatar officials denied any impropriety and insist that the corruption allegations are being driven by envy and mistrust by those who do not want the World Cup staged in Qatar. Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker gave an interview to German media in June 2014 stating that "The country is not getting the respect it deserves over its efforts to hold the World Cup and that the Qatari Emir strictly punishes and forbids instances of corruption and bribery with a zero-tolerance policy".[18][19]

According to leaked documents seen by The Sunday Times, Qatari state-run television channel Al Jazeera (now beIN Sport) secretly offered $400 million to FIFA, for broadcasting rights, just 21 days before FIFA announced that Qatar will hold the 2022 World Cup. The contract also documented a secret TV deal between FIFA and Qatar's state run media broadcast Al Jazeera that $100 million will also be paid into a designated FIFA account only if Qatar wins the World Cup ballot in 2010. An additional $480 million was also offered by the State of Qatar government, three years after the initial offer, which brings the amount to $880 million offered by Qatar to host the 2022 world cup. The documents are now part of the bribery inquiry by Swiss Police.[20][21] FIFA refused to comment on the inquiry and responded to The Sunday Times in an email and wrote “allegations linked to the Fifa World Cup 2022 bid have already been extensively commented by Fifa, who in June 2017 published the Garcia report in full on Fifa.com. Furthermore, please note that Fifa lodged a criminal complaint with the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland, which is still pending. Fifa is and will continue to cooperate with the authorities.”[20][22] A beIN spokesman said in a statement that the company would not “respond to unsubstantiated or wildly speculative allegations.”[23]

The World Cup is usually held in the northern hemisphere summer. During this season in Qatar, the temperature can get to 50 °C (122 °F).[24] Qatar says that this will not be a problem for it hosting the World Cup. A section from Qatar 2022 Bid official site explains:

"Each of the five stadia will harness the power of the sun's rays to provide a cool environment for players and fans by converting solar energy into electricity that will then be used to cool both fans and players at the stadia. When games are not taking place, the solar installations at the stadia will export energy onto the power grid. During matches, the stadia will draw energy from the grid. This is the basis for the stadia's carbon-neutrality. Along with the stadia, we plan to make the cooling technologies we’ve developed available to other countries in hot climates, so that they too can host major sporting events".

An example of this occurred during the 2018 World Cup qualifier with China under air conditioning, which happened in 8 October 2015.

Such cooling techniques will be able to reduce temperatures from 45 to 25 degrees Celsius (113 to 77 °F), which would be comfortable for players and spectators during matches, the bid also proposes these cooling technologies to be used in fan-zones, training pitches and walkways between Metro stations and stadia.[25] But if anyone enters an area without this technology, they may still be exposed to extreme levels of heat.

Qatar declared their intention to change the dates of the World Cup to winter immediately upon being award the Cup because of all the controversy surrounding the topic.

Alcohol can currently be consumed legally in hotel bars and clubs by showing a passport for reporting and a special permit to attend the club. The question of whether alcohol was allowed to be consumed in additional areas and at the games themselves was asked, Hassan Abdullah al Thawed, chief executive of the Qatar 2022 World Cup bid, said the Muslim state would also permit alcohol consumption during the World Cup. A few specific fan-zones will be set up during the event, that will provide alcohol for sale. Also certain bars are now being developed for all the tourists coming to support their chosen teams in the World Cup.[26][27]

The selection of Qatar as hosts attracted controversy, as homosexuality is illegal in Qatar. FIFA President Sepp Blatter came under fire for joking: "I would say they should refrain from any sexual activities". He added, however: "We are definitely living in a world of freedom and I'm sure when the World Cup will be in Qatar in 2022, there will be no problems".[28] He later said: "We (FIFA) don't want any discrimination. What we want to do is open this game to everybody, and to open it to all cultures, and this is what we are doing in 2022".[29][30][31][32][33][34][35]

During and after the bidding process, the Qatari government stated that should the Israel national football team qualify for the World Cup, it would be allowed to participate in the World Cup on their territory despite not recognizing the State of Israel,[26][27][36] the head of Qatar’s World Cup bid said. Israeli athletes had competed previously in Qatar, such as Israeli tennis player Shahar Pe'er in 2008.[37] In addition, an Israeli also participated in the Doha 2010 Indoor Championships.[38]

During the 2014 Protective Edge operation in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas, Israel's economy minister Naftali Bennett alleged that Qatar supported Hamas and was "a terror sponsor", and called upon FIFA to give the 2022 World Cup to another country.[39][40]