OT: World Cup in Russia and Qatar

[Chad Thorne]

I know there are many soccer (what you call "futbol" in your country) fans here. Apart from disappointment that your country was not chosen to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, how do you feel about Russian and Qatar getting the nod? I think it's kinda cool that Western Europe is not dominating, for a change. Well, insofar as I care at all...

[The Geoff]

General thoughts - I'm Scottish, so I have no great English axe to grind.

 

Russia is run by the Mafia, many of the FIFA delegates are proven corrupt, the UK bid didn't stand a chance. The very rich in Russia will get richer. The very poor will get poorer. McDonald's, Pepsi & Coca Cola will all do well.

 

Qatar is a *very* hot (third world)country with lots of oil. Someone's been talking about air-conditioned stadia(!).

 

Possibly this will be the first time the World Cup will be won by an African country (Cameroons, Nigeria?).

 

Great spectacle, lovely football, political joke.

 

Cynical? Moi? Oh my, what a shame. Still, never mind!

 

G.

[Nicklab]

I'm a little surprised about the general theme for these upcoming world cups. And is it me, or does it seem like FIFA is following the example of the International Olympic Committee in selecting host countries and vice-versa? The 2014 World Cup will be in Brazil, and the 2016 Summer Olympiad will be hosted in Rio.

 

And then there's Russia. They host the Cup in 2018, but not before the Russians host the 2014 Winter Olympiad in Sochi. And I agree with the general sentiments about Russia. It's like the wild west there now, with their version of the mafia running things.

 

The real head scratcher though is Qatar in 2022. Really? Are they really going to have the infrastructure to play the role of host country?

 

I know that the U.S. had been bidding to host the World Cup again. It was quite a big deal when the U.S. hosted in 1994. Was there that much of an interest in having a middle eastern country host the World Cup from FIFA? I also understand there's some concern for FIFA to spread the games around. But seriously, by the time 2022 rolls around it would have been 28 years since the games were held in North America.

[kenfxj]

[video:youtube]

[The Geoff]

Last World Cup in the UK was 1966 when England won. That'll be a whole generation which hasn't had the opportunity to attend personally.

 

Russia's doing well, isn't it?

 

You could Google 'FIFA Corruption BBC' if you like. It's probably the main reason we only gained one vote (excluding our own) and went out in the first votin round despite having by far & away the best technical bid.

 

G.

 

G.

[kenfxj]

Just thought the ugly American contingent should be heard from.

 

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

FIFA is a joke. Look at the way the last world cup was handled. As bad as pro basketball and SEC officiating combined. FIFA, the International Anti-Doping Committee (if you ain't French, you're doping) and the BCS. Antiquated and as corrupt as classic Chi-town politics.

 

... and the Freemason's are poisoning wells. The Illuminati are running the world's governments. And don't get me started on the creeping influence of the Soviet Union. Yeah, the Russians WANT you to think ...

 

...

 

"the person you are calling is unavailable"

[Bottom End]

The real head scratcher though is Qatar in 2022. Really? Are they really going to have the infrastructure to play the role of host country?

Qatar has 11 years to prepare, and in many ways, Qatar will actually benefit from all the infrastructure it puts in. A few years ago it paid off all the development loans it had from other countries, and it's able to really concentrate on modernizing itself (with all the conspicuous consumption and downright ornate, gaudy and/or tasteless architecture that an oil country is known for).

 

This is a big deal for the Qataris, IIRC, they will be the first ME country to host such a world-wide event.

 

Qatar is frikkin' hot, but most things there are already climate controlled, I've seen a huge arena complex in Kuwait, and Qatar will build something similar.

[ZZ Thorn]

FYI: Qatar's per capita income is the highest in the world.

 

They're going to have outdoor air-conditioned stadiums. Yes that's right.

 

Definitely not a third-world country by any standard.

 

Soccer is boring, tho. 3 months until pitchers and catchers report.

 

 

[jeremy c]

The various countries in the Emirates really know how to run competitions.

 

One swimmer died and two were hospitalized in the World Cup Open Water race in Dubai last month.

 

An Israeli player was not allowed to play in a tennis tournament.

 

Women who want to attend these events will be told what to wear, if they are allowed at all.

 

How does that per capita income work out if you subtract out the emirs and their families?

[Chad Thorne]

3 months until pitchers and catchers report.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

...in many ways, Qatar will actually benefit from all the infrastructure it puts in.

 

i feel so charitable. thanks, FIFA!

 

A few years ago it paid off all the development loans it had from other countries, and it's able to really concentrate on modernizing itself (with all the conspicuous consumption and downright ornate, gaudy and/or tasteless architecture that an oil country is known for).

 

and what happens if the oil economy collapses in the next 12 years? a lot can happen in a decade.

 

i get the anti-US sentiment. fine. whatever. but the world cup in 1994 was the best-attended world cup ever. more people got to travel to a very modern and accessible country than ever before or since.

 

qatar is small and remote. one of the host cities has a population around 4,000. i always thought the point of a world cup was to bring the world together, rather than to keep it in place, glued to the TV.

 

robb.

[ZZ Thorn]

The various countries in the Emirates really know how to run competitions.

 

One swimmer died and two were hospitalized in the World Cup Open Water race in Dubai last month.

 

An Israeli player was not allowed to play in a tennis tournament.

 

Women who want to attend these events will be told what to wear, if they are allowed at all.

 

How does that per capita income work out if you subtract out the emirs and their families?

 

The per capita income includes everybody. Qatar is not a big country - just a couple million people I imagine. I doubt it includes their migrant workers. But make no doubt: It is what is a known in political science circles as a "butt-ass rich" country.

 

I imagine women will have to cover their arms and legs, as will the guys. I'd also imagine kissing would be frowned upon heavily, and of course there will be no alcohol, which should make it perhaps the safest World Cup ever.

 

Sure, maybe an Israeli player wasn't allowed to play tennis, but hey, millions of Palestinians live in absolute squalor! It's really not a bad trade off when you look at it that way, LOL. Anyone for tennis? Wouldn't that be nice.

[ZZ Thorn]

and what happens if the oil economy collapses in the next 12 years? a lot can happen in a decade.

 

How on earth is the oil economy going to collapse in 12 years? Are people going to stop driving cars? I would like to accept any bet you propose that this will not happen, LOL.

 

Qatar is actually pretty perfectly situated - it's at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe. Qatar Airlines is the best airlines I've ever been on, the newest, the fastest-growing and one of the biggest, so logistics are no worries (used to cover air transport at my previous job, sorry for the nerdliness).

 

If I have to think about soccer, I'd say Russia is more of a shaky place to host the World Cup than Qatar, and for a number of reasons. But, instead we could talk about the absurd contract the Nationals just gave to Jayson Werth. It makes the Cubs contract to Soriano not seem so bad.

[Bottom End]

FYI-Renderings of the proposed Qatari stadiums.

[kenfxj]

Looks a bit like a bedpan.

 

 

[kenfxj]

and what happens if the oil economy collapses in the next 12 years? a lot can happen in a decade.

 

How on earth is the oil economy going to collapse in 12 years? Are people going to stop driving cars? I would like to accept any bet you propose that this will not happen, LOL.

 

[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AUurBnLbJw

 

The technology is there. Feasible and affordable. The only thing stopping it is oil money in politicians pockets. Republicans AND Democrats.

[ZZ Thorn]

Hydrogen cars are way, way bigger than american politics - they couldn't stop it eve if they tried. Given the recent track record of US auto R&D it won't be american firms who make the necessary advancements anyway. Japan has the lead in hybrid and hydrogen technology, Europe leads in diesel, Europe/Japan tied for electric car lead with the US getting in the game late, US rules in pickup trucks (would you believe that the pickup truck literally does not exist in Europe or Japan, crazy but true). I used to cover cars and it's the one news beat I actually miss from my old job!

 

Here's the headline: Hydrogen cars are not even remotely affordable. What's stopping it is price tags of $100K-$400K and that is no exaggeration. It will be at least five years before that price is even halved.

 

Even after they finally bring the price down, you have several years to get them into mass production, and you also have to wait for hydrogen filing stations and other infrastructure to be built. A lot of auto firms have already thrown in the towel and won't come back for a long time. 2020 would be a great achievement to get some cars on the road, like the Nissan Leaf next year in electric cars, but as for when they'll be the same price as gas powered cars who knows - decades, 2050 or something. And unless the average person can afford it what good is it? The technology is absolutely not there.

 

Oil rules and for good reason - it's the best we got. Qatar is a country that is using their oil money wisely. Of course it's so small it's easy to get stuff done, like in Norway. And now they got the World Cup.

 

Scuse my ramblin....

[kenfxj]

It can be done. All that's needed is the legislation.

 

"Republicans are all in bed with big oil!" Yeah, yeah. Well we had two years of a Democrat house and senate, democrat White House. The government OWNED the car companies. Where was the legislation to improve fuel mileage, limit emissions? Give them 10 years to get it done. Get us off the foreign oil. We got to the moon in 9 years. Federally regulate the production of hydrogen fuel. GIVE the licenses to the oil companies. Lots of new technology jobs there.

 

We could be substantially converted to hydrogen fuel cell technology in ten years. Ten years to wean us off the oil. We just have to do it. The problem isn't that we can't. It's that we won't.

 

[rumpelstiltskin.]

and of course there will be no alcohol, which should make it perhaps the safest World Cup ever.

 

i believe part of the bid package presented by the qataris included a relaxation of the ban on alcohol.

 

How on earth is the oil economy going to collapse in 12 years?

 

i think the internet economy rose, collapsed, and rose again in that kind of time.

 

If I have to think about soccer, I'd say Russia is more of a shaky place to host the World Cup than Qatar, and for a number of reasons.

 

that number of reasons must not be the same ones that FIFA themselves identified. the qatari bid was considered to have the highest number of, and most serious, risks involved in hosting the world cup.

 

But, instead we could talk about the absurd contract the Nationals just gave to Jayson Werth. It makes the Cubs contract to Soriano not seem so bad.

 

start a thread. stop hijacking this one.

 

robb.

[Phil W]

Main issue with Qatar I see is the terrible, subhuman way they treat foreign amids over there. Their laws are inherently racist and the maids are regularly abused.

 

FIFA has been making a great deal about tackling homophobia too but Russia (as well as being under the control of the Mafia) is known to be one of the worst countries in this regard.

 

The best outcome of the result was to highlight how FIFA has become a corrupt self-serving cartel.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

These won't just be any foreigners ... they'll be foreigners with money. They're different.

[Phil W]

Word.