Sepp Blatter, the former president of FIFA when Qatar received the 2022 World Cup hosting rights in 2010, told the Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger ‘Qatar is a mistake,’ adding that ‘the decision was bad.’ Qatar was chosen despite allegations of corruption and human rights violations. Blatter, who led FIFA for 17 years, has also been implicated in corruption accusations. The prosecutors have appealed the ruling.
“It is too small of a country. Football and the World Cup are too big for it,” he said. FIFA 2012 altered the criteria for choosing World Cup host countries in light of concerns over working conditions at Qatar’s construction sites in light of social considerations and human rights. Blatter will watch the tournament from his home in Zurich, which begins in a couple of weeks.Â
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