Exclusive: Qatar may provide the face-saving, no break in Platini’s ranks

FIFA House

By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
October 3 – Qatar is coming under subtle pressure to formally request switching the 2022 World Cup from the searing heat of the Gulf summer in order to save FIFA having to make the landmark one-off decision. Although the Qataris have long insisted they would never contemplate taking unilateral action and being the ones to ask for a change, InsideWorldFootball has learned that a deal could be struck to ensure the 2022 hosts are not unduly jeopardised by offering themselves to hold the tournament in winter.

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FIFA investigator Garcia plans road trip to 2018 and 2022 bidders

Michael Garcia 2

By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
October 1 – FIFA’s leading corruption buster has admitted for the first time in several months that he is stepping up his investigation into the World Cup bidding process for 2018 and 2022. In the week when FIFA is due to decide whether to move the 2022 event in Qatar to winter, Michael Garcia, head of the investigatory arm of FIFA’s ethics committee, has revealed he plans to visit every 2018 and 2022 bidding candidate to see whether any campaign rules were broken.

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IOC’s new chief Bach says FIFA will steer clear of Games clash

Thomas Bach

By Andrew Warshaw
September 30 – As FIFA’s top brass gather in Zurich for this week’s landmark decision on whether to switch the 2022 World Cup from the tournament’s traditional summer slot, the new president of the International Olympic Committee says he doubts there will ultimately be a clash with the winter Olympics the same year.

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FIFA forum on artificial turf to examine latest technologies

artificial turf

By Mark Baber
September 26 – FIFA has confirmed that representatives from the Dutch Football Association (KNVB), and the English Football Association (The FA) will be participating in a podium discussion on the future of artificial turf in football at this year’s IAKS (International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities) congress in Cologne.

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Palestine-Israel stand-off eases slightly as FIFA mediates next steps

Border wall

By Andrew Warshaw
September 24 – A rapprochement between Israeli and Palestinian football officials has moved a vital step closer – but only as a result of FIFA’s involvement as mediators. Delegations from both countries met FIFA officials in Zurich on Monday and agreed to each appoint a liaison officer to facilitate the movement of players in and out of the Palestinian territories.

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FIFA expects to run up extra World Cup drug testing costs

Michel dHooghe

By David Owen
September 23 – FIFA is resigned to running up unexpected extra costs to ensure that an effective drug testing programme is in operation at next year’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Michel D’Hooghe (pictured), the governing body’s leading medical expert, acknowledged as much in a short telephone conversation with insideworldfootball at the weekend. D’Hooghe said the cost issue was one of the reasons FIFA was “not happy”.

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Gazprom signs 4-year deal as official FIFA partner

Vladimir Putin and Sepp Blatter

By Mark Baber
September 16 – Russian state-controlled natural gas company Gazprom has officially became a FIFA partner at a ceremony on Saturday at the Black Sea resort of Sochi attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, FIFA President Sepp Blatter and Gazprom chief executive Aleksei Miller.

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Gulati calls for more information before any 2022 decision is taken

Sunil Gulati

By Andrew Warshaw
September 16 – The United States’ most influential football administrator says he will try to block any move by FIFA to switch the Qatar 2022 World Cup to winter. Sunil Gulati, whose country was unexpectedly beaten by the tiny Gulf state to stage the tournament when the vote was taken three years ago, says he will oppose any attempt by FIFA’s executive committee to change the dates of the tournament when it meets on October 3 and 4.

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Webb’s task force finds its feet in battle of ‘human kind’

Jeffrey webb 4

By Andrew Warshaw
September 13 – FIFA’s recently established anti-discrimination Task Force will not get involved in the furore over 2018 World Cup host Russia’s controversial so-called anti-gay legislation. The task force, meeting in Zurich yesterday, has identified a series of key priorities including allocation of resources, a best practice manual and identification of high risk games.

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Blatter reaffirms Qatar’s 2022 right, it was no mistake

Sepp Blatter 5

By Paul Nicholson
September 12 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has further clarified his comments regarding the Qatar 2022 World Cup, first reported in Insideworldfootball. Speaking to reporters at the International Olympic Committee Congress in Buenos Aires he again confirmed the right of Qatar to hold the World Cup in 2022.

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