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Qatar Sports Minister Says 2022 World Cup Will Set Benchmark Of Excellence

Qatar Sports Minister Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali said the 2022 World Cup will set a benchmark of excellence that will be "almost impossible to beat" and promised that "the Gulf nation will implement labor reforms in the next few months," according to the AP. Al-Ali also insisted that Qatar would not jeopardize its hosting of the World Cup and ambitions of "being at the front and center of sports by funding terrorism." He "was vague on whether alcohol will be sold inside World Cup stadiums and how gay fans will be welcomed at the 2022 tournament." The minister left no doubt that Qatar wants its World Cup -- financed with vast oil-and-gas wealth -- "to stun the world." He anticipated that on opening night in '22, he will be saying to himself, "God help the country that will host the World Cup after us." But it was al-Ali's vigorous insistence that Qatar "will tackle the ill-treatment of migrant workers which stood out most in the 90-minute interview." The minister said his own father worked as a 12-year-old laborer in the oil industry in "very hard conditions" that today "would be like child abuse." Al-Ali: "We understand this problem. For us, it's a human question." He added Qataris are not "vicious people who are like vampires. We have emotions, we feel bad" (AP, 11/11).

FIFA DENIES: The INT'L BUSINESS TIMES' Lewis Dean reported FIFA "denied Qatar will be stripped of the 2022 World Cup" following reports that claimed FIFA President Sepp Blatter said that "this would happen to members of the Norwegian FA." German newspaper Der Spiegel reported that Blatter allegedly told members of the Norwegian FA that "the 2022 World Cup won't take place in Qatar" during a dinner held in October. The newspaper added that Blatter called Qatar's rulers "arrogant" and said that "they think they're allowed to do anything with their money." A FIFA spokesperson "denied that Blatter made the comments" (IB TIMES, 11/10). ARABIAN BUSINESS reported at the 11th Arabian Business Forum beIN Sports presenters Richard Keys and Andy Gray suggested that there is no reason why the tournament should go ahead, "highlighting the air conditioning technology at the emirate’s hands, as well as the possibility of hosting the event during winter months." Keys: "They’ve won the bid ... and unless there are circumstances that I’m unaware of, what I’m told is that the World Cup will take place in Qatar. If it doesn’t, if there’s a possibility that the bid process has to re-open, then it will have to re-open for 2018 [won by Russia] as well. I can’t see Qatar easily stepping aside and saying ‘no problem,’ but if they did, then Russia would have to as well, which probably opens up a conversation with Vladimir Putin, that I would imagine would be quite lively" (ARABIAN BUSINESS, 11/11).

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