Giving the Qatar 2022 World Cup was a mistake – ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter

Sepp Blatter, the former president of FIFA, has admitted that the decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup was a “mistake”.

Blatter, 86, was president of FIFA in 2010 when The 2018 and 2022 World Cups were controversially awarded to both Russia and Qatar.

In an interview with a Swiss newspaper, Tag’s AnzinerBlatter claims he wants to give the United States the 2022 World Cup.

He said: The choice of diameter was wrong.

“At the time, we actually agreed in the Executive Committee that Russia should get the 2018 World Cup and the United States should get it in 2022. It would have been a gesture of peace if the two longtime political rivals hosted the World Cup one after the other.

“It is a very small country. Football and the World Cup are too big for that.”

When asked if he felt responsible for the decision, he added: “For me, it is clear. Qatar is a mistake.

“The selection was bad. I wonder why the new FIFA President lives in Qatar? He cannot be the head of the local World Cup organization. This is not his job. There are two organizing committees for this – one local and one from FIFA.”

Blatter was cleared of fraud over the £1.6m payment to former UEFA president Michel Platini when he was FIFA president. However , Stay banned from playing football.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has reportedly asked Platini to vote for Qatar to host the World Cup.

a France Football Investigation He claimed that the president hosted a secret luncheon at the Elysee Palace for the Crown Prince of Qatar, Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani and Platini.

At the luncheon, the Qatari delegation supposedly offered to buy Paris Saint-Germain, where it supported Sarkozy’s team, liquidate his debts, and create a spin-off channel from Al Jazeera, which would later be known as beIn Sports. They also suggested buying the televised football rights to French football and using the channel to broadcast matches.

Blatter confirmed in 2015 to financial times That the FIFA Executive Committee and Blatter had a “gentleman’s agreement” to award the bid to the United States.

“Just a week before the elections, I got a phone call from Michel Platini and he said, ‘I am no longer in the picture because the head of state told me that we must look at … the situation in France,'” he said.

Qatar has long rejected any suggestion that it won the tender inappropriately.

Platini responded forcefully, saying, “To say that my choice … was part of a deal between the French state and Qatar is just speculation … and lies,” he said. “I do not rule out taking legal action against anyone who questions the integrity of my vote.”

The World Cup kicks off in Qatar on November 20.

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(Photo: Getty Images)