FIFA’s executive committee eschewed player safety concerns to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. The International Olympic Committee was not as accommodating. The IOC rejected Doha as a potential host for the 2020 games, in large part because of climate-related safety concerns.

Doha wanted to hold the games in October to avoid the summer heat. The average high then is only 95, as opposed to 106 in June and July when the World Cup is scheduled. The IOC was still unconvinced about the weather.

This only half satisfied the IOC. They note that the air-conditioning systems promised by Doha are unproven, and that athletes would require weeks of expensive acclimatisation to prepare.

They also worried the Olympics would be upstaged by domestic sports in Europe and the U.S. and feared bribery accusations akin to the ones levied at FIFA after awarding the 2022 bid.

FIFA still has about 10 years to ensure the artificial clouds get invented/work and to convince the gays to “refrain from sexual activity” during the tournament.

[Photo via Presswire]