It was just banter
It is hot.
Very, very hot. So hot, in fact, the UK could soon see its hottest day in history, with temperatures forecast to top 40C this week.
Those kind of temperatures make doing literally anything hard work - let alone trying to play in a World Cup finals.
And that was the thinking when FIFA decided to move the 2022 World Cup. Awarded to Qatar 12 years ago, it was later decided that the promise of air-cooling technology in the stadiums would not be enough, and that the entire tournament was to be moved from the height of summer to November, where players probably wouldn't spontaneously combust mid-game.
Step forward Richard Keys.
To the surprise of literally no one, Keys, who is employed by Qatar's
beIN Sports, was eager to point out that it was a good thing that England hadn't been chosen as hosts for this year's World Cup.
It was, as the laughing face emojis on the end showed, just banter™.
But, as people pointed out in the comments, it did overlook a few points:
- There is a major football tournament taking place in England at this very moment.
- The high temperatures are caused by a temporary heatwave, therefore not comparable to the routinely sweltering conditions in Qatar at this time of year.
- Most World Cups tend to have finished by the middle of July.
- Had the World Cup been hosted by England, or plenty of other nations, lots of people may not have died in making sure it was ready in time.
https://twitter.com/stevedthomas/status/1549003004891828224
https://twitter.com/CoraMcNabb/status/1549004589726416897
https://twitter.com/BurnMarks1962/status/1549008022286000128
https://twitter.com/Sidneykidney4/status/1549000845836132355
Some suggested Keys was
'trying to justify' the World Cup taking place in Qatar, despite the criticism the tournament has received. A ridiculous suggestion, for a man whose current Twitter header image is currently this:
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