Winter World Cup agreement Reached!!

[Lord Duckhunter]

Why are they entitled to a world cup?

 

The clues in the title, World cup.

 

Or is it the World (excluding certain regions of it) cup.

[buctootim]

It's the world cup, so I've no issue with it being occasionally held in winter. To not do so, would mean certain countries would never have a chance of holding it. The issue here is that this wasn't made clear during the bidding process. I understand that there is some small print in the bid documents which allowed for this change, but everybody had an understanding that this was a june/july world cup.

 

The Arab world is entittled to a world cup ,.and personally I think its great that blatter is willing to make it truly global. However, the underhand corrupt way its been handled stinks.

 

Its hard to see how Qatar would rank higher in developing the global game compared with other candidates like Australia, who have also never hosted it (and playing in the summer would be their winter). .

[hypochondriac]

The clues in the title, World cup.

 

Or is it the World (excluding certain regions of it) cup.

 

The football should take precedence. The world cup should not be where there is no infrastructure, the climate is hostile and it is not really feasible to hold it there. It is clearly going to be an awful world cup if they hold it in Qatar. If you want it global why not hold it in Iceland? That makes about as much sense.

[RonManager]

The football should take precedence. The world cup should not be where there is no infrastructure, the climate is hostile and it is not really feasible to hold it there. It is clearly going to be an awful world cup if they hold it in Qatar. If you want it global why not hold it in Iceland? That makes about as much sense.

 

They should hold it in Somerset. All the teams could come round my place for cider and cheese. I'll put 'em up in my barn.

[Lord Duckhunter]

All im saying is that the middle east should has as much right hosting the world cup as europe or south America. If that means playing in winter, then provided that is made clear during the bid process, what's the issue.

 

The principle should be that every single member of FIFA has the right to bid , and in some instances a winter tournament may be the result of that bid. To say the tournament can only be played in summer, excludes some nations from bidding. Its up to FIFA delegates to decide following an open and.transparent bidding process. Hiding the impossibility of a summer world cup behind a load of pony about air conditioned stadium ECT, was not open and transparent, although I've no doubt the delegates knew that a winter world cup was inevitable all along.

 

Australia would have been a better choice, but then it would have been a better choice than Russia.

 

The issue im arguing about is a winter world cup, not the pros and cons of the best bid.

Edited 19 September, 2013 by Lord Duckhunter

[hypochondriac]

Ok well I mostly agree with that then. They have as much right as others to be considered (but really they should have been discounted straight away.) they certainly are not entitled to the world cup though.

[hypochondriac]

And I also don't think there should be an obsession with holding a world cup in an Arab nation just so they can say thy have done it and ticked it off the list. That is basically what has happened here and the football will clearly suffer as a result even if it is played in winter.

[Mystic Force]

World cups should be held in countries with sufficient size and infrastructure. There should be existing football culture or at least to support a country with an upcoming one. If you wanted a world cup in the middle east it should have been a bigger country although I can't think of a stable one. ...

 

How are the shots of the female brazilian support going covered?

 

Got to think crowds will be small, too expensive to visit to few population. F1 hasn't exactly had big crowds in the gulf. If they wanted corrupt money influencing the world cup they could always go to singapore or Thailand.

[Lord Duckhunter]

The problem is that if you give it to the best candidate every time, then Europe will end up with a disproportionate amount of tournaments. As a principle I think sharing it out is a good one, its just the corrupt manner of the sharing that's let FIFA down.

[brightspark]

The whole thing stinks but we are powerless. Nobody has the balls to confront the corruption and start a new organisation. Countries should think about boycotting the upcoming World Cup let alone 2022.

 

Real action? I'd love to see it but nobody is going to do it. Just wish we could have Blatter and Platini in front of a firing squad.

[max_saints]

All im saying is that the middle east should has as much right hosting the world cup as europe or south America. If that means playing in winter, then provided that is made clear during the bid process, what's the issue.

 

The principle should be that every single member of FIFA has the right to bid , and in some instances a winter tournament may be the result of that bid. To say the tournament can only be played in summer, excludes some nations from bidding. Its up to FIFA delegates to decide following an open and.transparent bidding process. Hiding the impossibility of a summer world cup behind a load of pony about air conditioned stadium ECT, was not open and transparent, although I've no doubt the delegates knew that a winter world cup was inevitable all along.

 

Australia would have been a better choice, but then it would have been a better choice than Russia.

 

The issue im arguing about is a winter world cup, not the pros and cons of the best bid.

 

agreed.

[Wade Garrett]

Hopefully, this is the beginning of the end of FIFA. Shame as it was once a great organisation. But it would seem that corruption is rife, and unlike the Olympic Committee, it is unable to 'cleanse' itself.

[hutch]

The whole thing stinks but we are powerless. Nobody has the balls to confront the corruption and start a new organisation. Countries should think about boycotting the upcoming World Cup let alone 2022.

 

Real action? I'd love to see it but nobody is going to do it. Just wish we could have Blatter and Platini in front of a firing squad.

I think Wales have already done that. And Scotland.

 

For those casting aspersions towards Mr. Blatter and his board, there were massive overriding administrative reasons why they HAD to award two World Cups this time round, for the first time ever. It was absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the imminent retirement of Mr. Blatter.

 

And, just for the record, the last World Cup was held in the winter, and the next one will be too.

[egg]

And, just for the record, the last World Cup was held in the winter, and the next one will be too.

 

That's actually a very good point. Playing devils advocate, we appear to all be up in arms because we think that the World Cup should revolve around our league calendar, don't we?

[Saintandy666]

That's actually a very good point. Playing devils advocate, we appear to all be up in arms because we think that the World Cup should revolve around our league calendar, don't we?

 

Northern hemisphere bias is something we are all guilty about. However, Duckhunter has it dead on. Nothing wrong with a winter world cup or a middle east world cup, but A. that wasn't made clear in the bidding process and B. the whole bid has a lot of fishiness about it.

[egg]

Northern hemisphere bias is something we are all guilty about. However, Duckhunter has it dead on. Nothing wrong with a winter world cup or a middle east world cup, but A. that wasn't made clear in the bidding process and B. the whole bid has a lot of fishiness about it.

 

I agree.

[Turkish]

Northern hemisphere bias is something we are all guilty about. However, Duckhunter has it dead on. Nothing wrong with a winter world cup or a middle east world cup, but A. that wasn't made clear in the bidding process and B. the whole bid has a lot of fishiness about it.

 

So you're happy for the world cup to be playing in a country where gay and Jewish fans could be arrested?

[egg]

So you're happy for the world cup to be playing in a country where gay and Jewish fans could be arrested?

 

I doubt the police will go round asking blokes if they like a bit of cock or only eat kosher meat. Unless a fan advertises something that could lead to arrest he won't have an issue.

[Turkish]

I doubt the police will go round asking blokes if they like a bit of cock or only eat kosher meat. Unless a fan advertises something that could lead to arrest he won't have an issue.

 

So any visiting Jews will have to remove their Skull caps and gay people wont be able to touch their boyfriends or wear rainbow laces. I'm sure it'll be a great trip for them having to hide what they are for fear of being persecuted.

[Wade Garrett]

I don't see why nations that hardly play the game get to host the World Cup. Hopefully, bent c*nts like Warner and Blatter will eventually be replaced by people with the game at heart, rather than brown envelopes. Sadly, it won't happen.

[egg]

So any visiting Jews will have to remove their Skull caps and gay people wont be able to touch their boyfriends or wear rainbow laces. I'm sure it'll be a great trip for them having to hide what they are for fear of being persecuted.

 

It's not a matter of hiding something but more about not advertising it, applying common sense and respecting the laws of the country being visited. The laws may be wrong but they are theirs laws and compliance shouldn't be an issue.

[Turkish]

It's not a matter of hiding something but more about not advertising it, applying common sense and respecting the laws of the country being visited. The laws may be wrong but they are theirs laws and compliance shouldn't be an issue.

 

Oh sorry, i didn't think people had a choice if they were gay or not. Maybe they could all chose not to be gay during the world cup because the Qatar government dont like it. What do you mean by 'not advertise it'? Dont gays have a right to be affection with their partners just like anyone else?

 

I'm sure by 2012 we'll have plenty more "out" gay footballers where they sexuality will be common knowledge. What are they to do?

[Wade Garrett]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/8535640/Fifa-corruption-and-bribery-allegations-a-timeline.html

[Turkish]

I don't see why nations that hardly play the game get to host the World Cup. Hopefully, bent c*nts like Warner and Blatter will eventually be replaced by people with the game at heart, rather than brown envelopes. Sadly, it won't happen.

 

i think you'll find anyone like that will spend most of the world cup being beaten up in Qatar prisons

[egg]

Oh sorry, i didn't think people had a choice if they were gay or not. Maybe they could all chose not to be gay during the world cup because the Qatar government dont like it. What do you mean by 'not advertise it'? Dont gays have a right to be affection with their partners just like anyone else?

 

I'm sure by 2012 we'll have plenty more "out" gay footballers where they sexuality will be common knowledge. What are they to do?

 

You're right there is no choice, but you miss the point about advertising the fact. If a gay fella knows he'll be knicked for kissing his fella in the street he'd be pretty stupid to do that. Agree?

 

The bottom line is that if any visitor feels unable to comply with the law of the land then they don't visit.

[Chez]

not much for rankings, but Qatar are currently 108 in FIFA's own and 11th in their region. Obviously they can rise between now and 2022, but I'd of thought having a half decent side would be a prerequisite for taking the tournament?

 

No issue with it being in the Winter. It will make a nice change for our season to run to a different calendar. Wonder what effect it might have on summer sports like Cricket?

[egg]

not much for rankings, but Qatar are currently 108 in FIFA's own and 11th in their region. Obviously they can rise between now and 2022, but I'd of thought having a half decent side would be a prerequisite for taking the tournament?

 

No issue with it being in the Winter. It will make a nice change for our season to run to a different calendar. Wonder what effect it might have on summer sports like Cricket?

 

I hadn't realised they're so bad. They could do a South Korea, 9 years is a long time.

[Turkish]

You're right there is no choice, but you miss the point about advertising the fact. If a gay fella knows he'll be knicked for kissing his fella in the street he'd be pretty stupid to do that. Agree?

 

The bottom line is that if any visitor feels unable to comply with the law of the land then they don't visit.

 

So they should have to suppress their natural instincts? Doesn't sound very fair to me. We all know gay people are quite flamboyant, it's part of what makes them so charming, I guess they should suppress that as well.

 

What about gay players? Are you happy that they will be forced to work on conditions that they will find at best uncomfortable?

[eurosaint]

So you're happy for the world cup to be playing in a country where gay and Jewish fans could be arrested?

 

Not so long ago (it might still be the case?) you couldn't even enter many Middle East countries with an Israeli stamp in your passport !

I remember being stuck in Bahrain for 24 hours whilst BA changed an engine and a number of passengers were not even allowed out of the airport for this reason, the rest of us got to spend the day by the pool at an hotel !

My point being that Jewish people will probably not get in, let alone be arrested !

I'm sure Dubai-Phil will enlighten us further though !

[egg]

So they should have to suppress their natural instincts? Doesn't sound very fair to me. We all know gay people are quite flamboyant, it's part of what makes them so charming, I guess they should suppress that as well.

 

What about gay players? Are you happy that they will be forced to work on conditions that they will find at best uncomfortable?

 

Easy choices:

 

1. Go and reapect their (outdated) law; or

2. Go and don't respect their law; or

3. Stay at home.

 

The choices apply to fans and the scores of openly gay players.

[dubai_phil]

Enjoying watching some Middle East experts on this thread and also how PC attitudes can cause such a quandary. Support the rights of X group versus The Religion & Culture of Y group. There is no right answer as usual.

 

The Arab World is a huge swathe of the planet's Population, as is the entire Islamic World. Would some have similar arguments if the WC was being held in Indonesia or Malaysia? Same issues about the core Religious culture clash of tolerance of Gays, just not such an easy target for cheap shots.

 

Based on what is happening elsewhere in the Arab World, thank FOOK they actually picked Qatar and not Iran or Egypt/Libya. Dodgy as hell all round YES, but at least it will be Safe & Secure for any fans who DO get there (unlike Brazil no doubt)

 

Oh and which country in the Middle East was the first to make steps to Officially recognise Israel? In fact they went so far as to allow the opening of an International Trade Liaison Office as a precursor to the opening of a full Embassy? (Yes, sure the Israelis then went off and did some ****wit things and got kicked out but it DID happen. The Qataris DID try and deal with them.

 

And, as for crowds, the place will be full as will all the stadiums. FIFA and all of their cronies - and by that I mean their Sponsors and Service Providers will be happy, as pretty much the ONLY way any Western Fans will get to the matches will be through Overpriced Official Packages. 10 million football fans in Saudi, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman & the UAE will be able to drive there and back. And of course the Sponsors will get MORE seats and will fill all the 4 and 5 Star hotels and charge YOU lot for it by putting the price of a can of coke or Bud up by a penny.

 

For the average fan it will be as big a rip off as South Africa (US$3000+ for an economy class ticket against a normal fare of $1200 during the WC, Brazil with hotels already charging a 300% premium.

 

FIFA will have full coffers, their Leadership will have retirement plans the matches will be given atmosphere (in FIFA's eyes) by the 2022 version of the Vuvuzeula or whatever it was called.

 

The WC has been Bullsh1t since after France 98, Christ, even in Germany in 06 we had to stay in Holland as it was such a rip off.

 

(Oh and yes you CAN get beer in Qatar.)

 

Oh and the GOOD news is that there is now an Official Doha Saints Group being formed. There will be Saints Shirts at games over there!

 

Edited 20 September, 2013 by dubai_phil

[Turkish]

Easy choices:

 

1. Go and reapect their (outdated) law; or

2. Go and don't respect their law; or

3. Stay at home.

 

The choices apply to fans and the scores of openly gay players.

 

Yep, those are definitely the choices. Sad isn't it that in this day and age people have to make those choices. As a person that fully supports gay people, i cannot help but feel revulsion that it has come to this. Not quite sure how anyone who is likeminded can support a world cup being played there and requires gay people to have to chose to attend it and if they do supress their way of life.

[dubai_phil]

Not so long ago (it might still be the case?) you couldn't even enter many Middle East countries with an Israeli stamp in your passport !

I remember being stuck in Bahrain for 24 hours whilst BA changed an engine and a number of passengers were not even allowed out of the airport for this reason, the rest of us got to spend the day by the pool at an hotel !

My point being that Jewish people will probably not get in, let alone be arrested !

I'm sure Dubai-Phil will enlighten us further though !

 

Yep still pretty much the case. Although the guys here at Dxb Int tend to only do a quick flick through the passport.

However, anyone who travels will know that in fact you can either 1) ask Israeli Passport Control NOT to stamp your passport. They stamp a piece of paper. or 2) Go to the Passport Office and they will give you a SECOND passport (yep even UK.Gov tell you that you can only have ONE active passport and then will issue a second for this reason - not very PC that eh! )

 

Jewish people WILL be allowed in, the days of a Western Passport stating Religion have long gone. Lot of Jewish Brits live & work down here, I have a Spurs supporting Son In Law who comes and goes without any troubles whatsoever.

 

For those with residence visas, they have to occassionally be Pragmatic and say they are Christian on a form for a Booze Licence for example (but then there are only two choices - Muslim or Christian so even the Hindu's & Buddhists tick the box that gets them Booze, not the other one!)

 

This part of the World has a lovely way of managing these types of "rules" they simply don't enforce them. That is such a Brit Culture thing! The ONLY time a Gay couple will get into trouble for sharing a room is IF they have been stupid and had a drunken punch up in public, had a crash while drunk driving, given a Local the Finger or simply been STUPID.

 

A Journo will write some article about Gays being arrested but down in the small print there will be the "What they did that was very wrong" - Urinating in Public - that they got arrested for in the first place, THEN there will be a list of 25 other offences to be taken into consideration that you would see in a UK court.

 

I find some fat middle aged slapper wearing a skimpy see-through top and micro shorts in a shopping mall offensive, and so do the locals here. She won't get ARRESTED for it, she'll be asked to cover up or leave. It is only when SHE tries to impose HER right to look offensive that she would get into trouble and end up being arrested. We call that Stupidity.

 

The same will happen with Gays in Qatar. Go, have fun. see a different world and Culture. BUT do NOT Kiss in Public (or even hold hands) Do NOT dress like a tart and do NOT have drunken noisy sex and smash up the hotel room.

 

Now. Here is the Rub.

 

THOSE SAME RULES APPLY TO HETEROSEXUAL UNMARRIED COUPLES.

[dubai_phil]

Yep, those are definitely the choices. Sad isn't it that in this day and age people have to make those choices. As a person that fully supports gay people, i cannot help but feel revulsion that it has come to this. Not quite sure how anyone who is likeminded can support a world cup being played there and requires gay people to have to chose to attend it and if they do supress their way of life.

 

When you support changes to Islamic Culture and Law that will permit an unmarried Heterosexual couple to hold hands in Public or (Heaven Forbid) Kiss each other on the cheek in greeting, let alone their right to spend a NIGHT together in THE SAME HOUSE without fear of getting arrested then I will take your posting on threads about these issues seriously.

 

Unfortunately your opinion is wrong and you are offending other groups who suffer from the same Persecutions

[angelman]

I wonder if the money men behind the Champions League will change their format, or even cancel the tournament for one year. That would give much more time for leagues to fit their games in. But somehow I can't see that happening!! If you finish the 2021 a week earlier, start the 2022 season a week earlier, keep PL teams out of the League Cup opening rounds even more than they are, play more mid-week games, and extend the season a bit, then surely it can be all squeezed in. I am not sure how much time is needed to prep and "do" the WC - a month?

[Lord Duckhunter]

So you're happy for the world cup to be playing in a country where gay and Jewish fans could be arrested?

 

 

Perhaps gay's could give this one a miss and go to the Russian one instead.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

Does the sun never ****ing set in Qatar then? Why can't they just play the bloody games in the middle of the night. The times would be perfect for the rest of the world to watch on TV and I'm sure the fans could kip during the day in their air conditioned rooms rather than venturing outside into the furnace they call a country.

[angelman]

Because in summer, it is still something like 35ºc+ at 2am and humid as hell. Then there is practice time, and getting spectators around the place.

[Whitey Grandad]

I see that gay rights have now hijacked this thread as well. Please keep it to yourselves and concentrate on the real issues.

[Secret Site Agent]

Now be fair, everyone.

 

A spokesman for the Qatari FA has just been on the radio to explain the postiion:

 

'Qatar won it, fair and square.So all the other countries can lick my camels dangly parts. And it is true that we can't have it in the summer as it's too hot, so we will have it in the winter, to suit all you infidel dogs. And all this crap about our infrastructure not being up to it. 2022 is a long way away, and we have time to build and if our infrastructure isn't ready, why we will just host it somewhere else. Like England. They have a pretty good infrastructure, i saw it in a video a few years ago.'

[Mystic Force]

It wasn't that long ago they held the commonwealth games in Kuala Lumpur they did a pretty good job of it and didn't seem to have to many problems with it being a muslim country. So if they really wanted to put it in a muslim country south east asia would have been better, plus it is where all the Man U fans live.

 

I was wondering how many stadiums they need and how that will work in a country with a small population. Or will they just use two.

[Whitey Grandad]

I am not sure how much time is needed to prep and "do" the WC - a month?

 

Normally reckoned at 8 weeks.

[Saint Without a Halo]

Mohamed Bin Hammam the Qatari FIFA representative and ex president of FIFA Asia who led and fronted the Qatar bid was later found guilty and suspended for life by the FIFA ethics committee for bribery and corruption when standing against Blatter for the FIFA presidency!

 

So clean on world cup bid, but dirty when standing against Blatter a few months later

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1392140/FIFA-corruption-Qatar-DID-buy-World-Cup-claims-chief.html

 

Says it all really!

Edited 21 September, 2013 by Saint Without a Halo

[Saint Without a Halo]

So you're happy for the world cup to be playing in a country where gay and Jewish fans could be arrested?

 

Are you talking about Russia?

[Saint Without a Halo]

Oh sorry, i didn't think people had a choice if they were gay or not. Maybe they could all chose not to be gay during the world cup because the Qatar government dont like it. What do you mean by 'not advertise it'? Dont gays have a right to be affection with their partners just like anyone else?

 

I'm sure by 2012 we'll have plenty more "out" gay footballers where they sexuality will be common knowledge. What are they to do?

 

As a male you are more likely to get arrested showing affection to a female partner in public! Especially if drunk and abusive too!

Edited 21 September, 2013 by Saint Without a Halo

[Mystic Force]

If you can't drink what is the point of a world cup?

[Wade Garrett]

FIFA are trying to get out of this by suggesting political interference on behalf of the Qatar bid. Weasel Platini has said that Sarkozy put a bit f pressure on him, but that it didn't influence him actually voting for Qatar. Of course not Michel, you are the ideal scumbag to replace Blatter.

 

Not a cat in hells chance of Qatar staging it now.

[eurosaint]

Yep still pretty much the case. Although the guys here at Dxb Int tend to only do a quick flick through the passport.

However, anyone who travels will know that in fact you can either 1) ask Israeli Passport Control NOT to stamp your passport. They stamp a piece of paper. or 2) Go to the Passport Office and they will give you a SECOND passport (yep even UK.Gov tell you that you can only have ONE active passport and then will issue a second for this reason - not very PC that eh! )

Jewish people WILL be allowed in, the days of a Western Passport stating Religion have long gone. Lot of Jewish Brits live & work down here, I have a Spurs supporting Son In Law who comes and goes without any troubles whatsoever.

 

For those with residence visas, they have to occassionally be Pragmatic and say they are Christian on a form for a Booze Licence for example (but then there are only two choices - Muslim or Christian so even the Hindu's & Buddhists tick the box that gets them Booze, not the other one!)

 

This part of the World has a lovely way of managing these types of "rules" they simply don't enforce them. That is such a Brit Culture thing! The ONLY time a Gay couple will get into trouble for sharing a room is IF they have been stupid and had a drunken punch up in public, had a crash while drunk driving, given a Local the Finger or simply been STUPID.

 

A Journo will write some article about Gays being arrested but down in the small print there will be the "What they did that was very wrong" - Urinating in Public - that they got arrested for in the first place, THEN there will be a list of 25 other offences to be taken into consideration that you would see in a UK court.

 

I find some fat middle aged slapper wearing a skimpy see-through top and micro shorts in a shopping mall offensive, and so do the locals here. She won't get ARRESTED for it, she'll be asked to cover up or leave. It is only when SHE tries to impose HER right to look offensive that she would get into trouble and end up being arrested. We call that Stupidity.

 

The same will happen with Gays in Qatar. Go, have fun. see a different world and Culture. BUT do NOT Kiss in Public (or even hold hands) Do NOT dress like a tart and do NOT have drunken noisy sex and smash up the hotel room.

 

Now. Here is the Rub.

 

THOSE SAME RULES APPLY TO HETEROSEXUAL UNMARRIED COUPLES.

 

I'm aware that you can do all that (at one stage I actually had 3 active passports!) it's more a case of you having to lie to get in, which means that if (for whatever reason), you are questioned about it then you are well and truly f*cked !

BTW, I agree that the gay and booze issues are exaggerated and my only gripe is that the bid was accepted under false pretences, which TBF is much more of a condemnation of FIFA than it is for the country of Qatar !!

[SaintBobby]

It's a bloody farce. With all the time and money that goes into a bid no one seems to have asked "Is the temperature in this country okay-ish or will footballers risk dropping dead like flies on the pitch?"

 

The criteria for selecting a host nation should be something like this:

 

1. Is there (or will there be) a sufficent infrastructure and a good enough natural environment to host such a major competition?

2. Is the legal framework basically acceptable for players and fans of all competing nations, including those in the qualifiers? (Israeli fans/players, Muslim fans/players, gay fans/players etc must all be welcome. The World Cup shouldn't be held in a war zone or in, say, North Korea)

3. Consistent with 1 and 2, is the competition being rotated globally on about the same ratio of the number of qualifying slots for each confederation (So, Europe about 50% of the time, N/S America about 30%, RoW 20%).

 

Qatar only barely qualifies on point 3.

[hypochondriac]

It's a bloody farce. With all the time and money that goes into a bid no one seems to have asked "Is the temperature in this country okay-ish or will footballers risk dropping dead like flies on the pitch?"

 

The criteria for selecting a host nation should be something like this:

 

1. Is there (or will there be) a sufficent infrastructure and a good enough natural environment to host such a major competition?

2. Is the legal framework basically acceptable for players and fans of all competing nations, including those in the qualifiers? (Israeli fans/players, Muslim fans/players, gay fans/players etc must all be welcome. The World Cup shouldn't be held in a war zone or in, say, North Korea)

3. Consistent with 1 and 2, is the competition being rotated globally on about the same ratio of the number of qualifying slots for each confederation (So, Europe about 50% of the time, N/S America about 30%, RoW 20%).

 

Qatar only barely qualifies on point 3.

 

They did ask, they just chose to ignore it when they saw the dollar signs.