Former FIFA official Harold Mayne-Nicholls, who "led the official FIFA inspection team that evaluated the
credentials of 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar," said that November-December "must be
ditched as a possible date for a winter tournament, warning it would
cause untold chaos" for the int'l calendar, according to Andrew Warshaw of INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL. Following negotiations with football's various stakeholders amid
"constant media interest, two options emerged as most likely period for
the tournament, November/December and January/February," the former the
personal preference of FIFA President Sepp Blatter. Mayne-Nicholls, who led the team that visited all nine candidates
for 2018 and 2022 in the period leading up to the Dec. '10 vote,
said that "only two viable alternatives should be seriously considered for
Qatar -- January-February or May with evening kickoffs." He said, "November-December will create a complete mess for almost all the leagues in the world, not just for Europe" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 11/5). The BBC's Dan Roan reported UEFA President Michel Platini said that the 2022 Qatar World Cup "must be played in winter." His stance puts him in "direct opposition to
some of Europe's biggest leagues and clubs, who want the event to be
staged in May." Platini: "It'll never be in April, May or June. It will be in winter." He added the clubs would accept "whatever
decision was made." Platini: "It's not the clubs that are playing, it's the players
and it's not possible to play in May when it's 40 degrees" (BBC, 11/5).
PLAYERS THREATEN BOYCOTT: The BBC's Mani Djazmi reported FIFPro Secretary-general Theo van Seggelen said that players could "boycott the 2022 World Cup if it is held in the summer." Temperatures in Qatar
"can reach 40C between May and September." Van Seggelen said FIFPro would "challenge the decision in court and 'advise the players not to go.'" He said, "We will take all necessary measures" (BBC, 11/5). The AP reported FIFA anti-racism adviser Tokyo Sexwale thinks black players "may boycott the 2018 World Cup" and is urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to "demand tougher action against racism in football." Sexwale, a South African former political prisoner who served time on Robben Island, is "against boycotts but expressed concerns" that "there are certain parts [of Moscow where] if you are my colour it's unsafe." Sexwale: "There is a threat black players will say they are not going to Russia [for the World Cup] -- we can't have that. I am talking as a FIFA person and a citizen of the world -- it can't go that far ... Once these things start and you don't act as leaders, these things snowball" (AP, 11/4).
