PARIS: FIFA is not considering reforms of the voting system for choosing World Cup hosts despite the controversy which surrounded the decision on the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, general secretary Jerome Valcke said Monday. “We just voted last Thursday. We have not sat down to discuss a reform of the voting system. It is not part of our discussions at the moment”, Valcke told the media. On Thursday, the body's executive committee voted to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar, prompting complaints that politics had played too large a part in the process. “Yes, it is a political decision... But overall, I think reactions were positive. The decision was fairly well received by football fans. It shows that football is open to the world”, Valcke added. “Russia is a great footballing country and deserves it. And the Middle East is part of the family of football. The matter is closed. We dealt very well with the two that were caught. We reacted well to the situation. The members were suspended. There is no need to be ashamed”, Valcke added. The next bidding process to chose who would stage the 2026 tournament would not take place before 2018, he added. FIFA is not considering changing the 2022 Cup in Qatar despite fears the intense heat poses a serious health risk if the tournament is played in summer. Valcke said that he accepts “worries about the heat are legitimate” but that the intention remains not to waver from the original plans. “Certain (people), like Franz Beckenbauer, said that we should change the calendar and put this World Cup in a winter period,” Valcke said Monday. “But the invitation to tender was to play this World Cup in June, and that's how it was done and countries replied on this basis.” The international football calendar is set until 2014 and no discussion for any possible changes is expected before then, Valcke said.
