Qatar will have the backing of Mohammad Bin Hammam for its 2022 World Cup bid, with the Asian Football Confederation president reiterating his support Wednesday even as FIFA's inspection team toured rival Asian bidder Australia. The declaration by Hammam, a Qatari, meant the gulf nation would get at least one of the 24 votes from FIFA's executive committee that will decide the host countries for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups when it meets in December. “I have one vote among 24 votes and frankly speaking I will vote for Qatar,” Hammam said Wednesday. “But if Qatar is not in the running, I will vote for another Asian country.” Under Bin Hammam's presidency, Qatar had already been awarded the 2011 Asian Cup unopposed. Australia, which joined the Asian confederation from Oceania after its second-round exit at the 2006 World Cup to eventual champion Italy, is expected to be awarded the 2015 Asian Cup. Bin Hammam's latest declaration was sure to cause a stir in Australia, where organizers were surprised last month when the AFC chief announced he would vote for a European host for 2018, even though Australia was still in the bidding. Australia subsequently dropped out of the 2018 race to focus on 2022. Qatar is bidding against the US, Japan, South Korea and Australia. It is aiming to become the first Middle Eastern country to host football's biggest tournament, but faces several hurdles, including its scorching summer heat and restrictive alcohol and dress policies. Australia has never hosted the World Cup, but has hosted the Olympics twice – at Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000 – and the World Cups of rugby and cricket. Al-Thawadi said Qatar is developing “second-generation cooling technology” which will keep stadiums, training facilities and fan areas at about 27 Celsius (81 degrees), far cooler than the 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees) that Qatar averages in June, July and August. Qatar also plans to allow alcohol consumption in fan zones and bathing suits to be worn at hotel pools. “I don't see it as a cultural clash,” Al-Thawadi said. “We accept other people's cultures.”
