Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal And More Were All ‘Bribed’ To Support The Qatar 2022 World Cup
THE Qatar World Cup 2022 is a sick joke, of course. A World Cup steeped in corruption, the deaths of hundreds of migrant labourers, the Qatari’s states links to jihadists and institutionalised bigotry are an affront to sporting ideals.
In the Times, Matt Dickenson looks at Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s reaction to the horror show. The fomer West Germany captain is now chairman of the European Club Association. The latest talk of 2022 is for the bunfight to be moved from the emirate’s sscorching hot sumemr to the merely hot winter.
Says Rummenigge:
“We are ready to discuss changing the date under one condition — that there is no damage for club football — because if we change from summer to November or January it will affect our business.”
Do all big European football clubs speak with one united voice? Howc an tehy when Arsenal play at the Emirates, Manchester City at the Etihad, Barcelona are sponsorsed by Qatar (well, how else do you follow UNICEF?) and Rummenigge’s club, Bayern Munich, take an annual sunshine break to Doha in January, playing lucrative friendlies.
It is the clubs who should be speaking out, given the upheaval that will be inflicted on them, but then many senior executives attended the ECA conference last year in Doha when their flights, luxury accommodation and three days of hosting were paid for by the 2022 organisers at a total cost of an estimated £500,000. This was the trip when Rummenigge departed with two new Rolex watches, said to be worth £84,000, and ran into trouble when he was stopped by customs officials at Munich airport as he passed through the “nothing to declare” channel.
He has declined to reveal who gave him the watches, saying only that they were a gift.
Football has become all about the money.
And it;s ugly.
Posted: 7th, November 2014 | In: Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
