TALKING
QATAR BLUESThe 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar
are just over three years away. Expect
to see, in the next year or so, a steady
stream of anti-Qatar stories in the
international media. While some will
make sense, many will make no sense
at all unless the reader understands
that a Saudi-financed anti-Qatar
campaign is in full swing.
No one can argue that the Qatar
staging is controversial. This is partly
because of the identity of a football-
minnow host, partly because of the
workers’ conditions issue, and partly
because of the bidding procedure
and award in December 2010.
Saudi Arabia and political allies suchas the United Arab Emirates have a
specific anti-Qatar agenda led by the
imposition of an economic, travel and
broadcasting rights blockade back in- So far it has failed and Qatar
has refused to bend. So the Saudis are
stepping up the fake news campaign.
What better, more visible target than
the World Cup?
MANCHESTER
CITY
By winning the
Community Shield,
Pep Guardiola’s
side became
the first English
team to win four
domestic trophies
in a calendar year.DANNY
LENNON
The 50-year-old
Clyde manager
was a sub for
the Glasgow Cup
game with Celtic
Colts due to an
injury crisis and
came on in the
second half as
his side won 3-1.that Europe needed its own federation
because several African and Asian FAs
had started pressing for their continents’
access to the executive committee.
Initially opposed, Thommen soon saw
sense but that original caution would cost
him dear. Along with Rous and Barassi,
the trio devised the Industrial Inter-Cities
Fairs Cup, now the Europa League. But
although they had the right idea, they
had the wrong format – as L’Equipe
demonstrated with the creation of the
original European Champions Cup.
FIFA set up a commission to study
the structural effect of expansion. An
extraordinary Congress in 1953 led
to agreement for African and Asia
representatives to join the ExCo.
A decade later they each gained
a vice-presidency too.
By now Europe’s FAs had created
UEFA, and FIFA had agreed a majority
presence for its delegates on the world
body’s ExCo.
That same representational right was
granted in due course to the other
confederation blocks. Suddenly, without
noticing, FIFA had permitted its own
power to be usurped – and presidential
elections proved the point.
Rimet, honoured but no longer
heeded, retired in 1954. Seeldrayers
stepped up but died in office. The same
fate attended England’s Arthur Drewry,
who died in 1961, after which Thommen
stepped up as interim president of FIFA.
He was the main man at the time and
was also president of FIFA’s World Cup
organising committee. As such, he had
overseen the selection of Chile, rather
than Argentina, as 1962 host. Thommen
therefore expected to be confirmed as
FIFA president. But African and Asian
voters, remembering his opposition to
their rise, backed Rous instead.
Ironically, African and Asian votes
later wrought Rous’ 1974 overthrow by
Havelange – Rous paying the price with
his presidency for supporting apartheid
South Africa on one continent and the
beleaguered Chinese nationalist Taiwan
on the other.
Previously, Thommen and Rous
had flung open the FIFA door to the
confederations without preconditions.
The two men paid the price in the loss
of personal power.
As for FIFA, the failure to enshrine
executive power over the confederations
has proved politically and reputationally
catastrophic.BORUSSIA
DORTMUND
Jadon Sancho scored
one goal and made
another as Dortmund
beat Bayern Munich
2-0 to win the
German Super Cup.ISTANBUL
BASEKSAHIR
The Turkish club’s
first Champions
League campaign
ended prematurely
following a 3-
aggregate defeat
by Olympiakos in
the qualifiers.MARTIN
LASARTE
Despite leading
the team to the
Egyptian league
title, the coach
was sacked by Al
Ahly after they lost
to Pyramids FC in
the cup.PAOK
The Greek
champions
lost 5-4 on
aggregate to
Ajax in the
Champions
League
qualifying
round.Zurich...FIFA
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