Choice of Russia and Qatar as hosts raises questions of FIFA integrity

indictment possible that FIFA is not a clean organization. The message here is that petrodollars talk. For an outfit that likes to thump its chest and claim that it is not corrupt (Trust us, says FIFA president Sepp Blatter), having two oil-wealthy winners is the clearest message possible that FIFA needs a complete overhaul in its leadership and organization. Russia had a pretty good case for being chosen, but Qatar (which was funded heavily by its government and bought the support of celebrity endorsers) didn't make a lot of sense in the first place. Get ready for searing summer heat in the Middle East!

2. Qatar? Really? It would have been one thing if the U.S. had lost out to Australia, a country that has put on big-time sporting events with panache and has never hosted a World Cup. But Qatar is a huge risk for FIFA and suggests that it's possible to buy the World Cup. FIFA's own inspection team visited Qatar and was concerned that the 110-degree summer heat would put the health of players and fans at risk, even if Qatar says it will build air-conditioned stadiums and training grounds. What's more, 12 years is a long time away, and you never know what might happen in world politics between now and then. Choosing a safer bet like the U.S. or Australia would have been the logical thing to do, but as we know, FIFA doesn't always use logic in its decisions. If anything, the outcry over these choices will be the biggest incentive for FIFA to finally clean up its act.
Read more: Choice of Russia and Qatar as hosts raises questions of FIFA integrity

Choice of Russia and Qatar as hosts raises questions of FIFA integrity