ZURICH — FIFA has launched a consultation process to decide whether to stage the 2022 World Cup in Qatar outside the traditional June-July slot and will not make a decision until next year, president Sepp Blatter said Friday. “The executive committee decided to launch a consultation process among main stakeholders for Qatar 2022 dates,” Blatter said on Twitter. “No decision will be taken before 2014 WC (World Cup).” Qatar was awarded the right to host the competition in December 2010 in a decision based on its plans to stage the event in June-July using air-conditioned stadiums to combat the fierce heat. Despite Qatar's assurances that the plan is viable, there has been widespread concern over the health of the players and visiting fans in the searing conditions of the desert summer. Blatter said in July that he would propose a move to a cooler time of year and that he expected the executive committee to agree with him. European soccer's governing body UEFA agreed last month that the World Cup should be moved, with all 54 member associations backing the proposal. However, there have been demands for greater consultation from other stakeholders, led by the powerful European Clubs Association (ECA) which has more than 200 members including the world's richest and most powerful clubs. ECA president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said in September that, with the competition still nine years away, there was no need to rush into a decision. Clubs are worried about the financial impact of hosting the World Cup outside its traditional June-July slot, as it would force them to reschedule domestic leagues. Rummenigge has suggested that April 2022 would be an alternative while January-February and November-December are also possibilities, although the first two months of the year will also see the Winter Olympics taking place. However, a final decision on which months the tournament could be played is unlikely before 2015, according to FIFA executive committee member Michel D'Hooghe. “At the earliest in 2015,” D'Hooghe said. “We will consult everyone in the football family. To have some concrete information, this will not be done in two days.” D'Hooghe and fellow committee member Hany Abo Rida said that the new commission will not report back to Blatter's board before the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. “We have two World Cups before Qatar where we also have concerns,” said D'Hooghe, who also chairs FIFA's medical committee. The lengthy consultation process will also involve medical experts and FIFA's broadcasting and sponsor partners. D'Hooghe said it has not yet been decided who will head the working group. The FIFA board also discussed Qatar's treatment of migrant workers after reported deaths and human rights abuses connected with World Cup construction projects. FIFA Vice President Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan said that Blatter offered to visit Qatar and discuss the issue with the emir, who is a longstanding IOC colleague of the FIFA president. “We received a letter from Qatar saying they will abide by international norms,” on labor rights, the prince said. Prince Ali said he believed that the Qatari World Cup organizers — who are not represented on FIFA's ruling panel — were treated fairly and respectfully in the meeting. Qatar beat the United States 14-8 in the final vote despite warnings that the extreme temperatures in June and July posed a health risk to players and spectators. Qatar has twice hosted major football tournaments but neither was played in June or July. The 2011 Asian Cup was played in January. In 1995, Qatar staged the Under-20 World Cup in April. The Qatar organizing committee insists it can stage a safe tournament in June-July by using air-cooling technology. However, Qatar says it would comply if FIFA reaches a consensus for change. FIFA gets around 90 percent of its revenue from the World Cup. It earned $3.655 billion from commercial deals tied to the 2010 tournament in South Africa. — Agencies
