Garygaz
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- 2008
FRESH from being re-elected for a new four-year term, Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy has boldly declared that Australia's bid for the 2022 World Cup is not over yet.Humiliated with just one vote from the FIFA executive in Zurich almost a year ago, Lowy has bounced back from a recent health scare to insist the controversial decision to award the 2022 tournament to Qatar is not a certainty.While he would not reveal the reasons for his claim that another vote might be held, it is clear the life ban from all football activities of Asian Football Confederation boss Mohammad Bin Hammam over bribery allegations is a major factor.Advertisement: Story continues below
Bin Hammam, a Qatari, has always distanced himself from the World Cup bid, but such is the shifting nature of FIFA politics that it is not inconceivable his country could be penalised in the fallout.Quizzed on whether the FFA was in the market for secondary FIFA events to make up for missing out on the 2022 World Cup, Lowy gave a startling response to journalists.''You mention the World Cup - I don't know if you recall when I came back from that fateful day, I said, 'This is not the last word about awarding the World Cup','' he said.''It wasn't the last word, and the last word hasn't been heard yet. You can read anything into that you want. Don't ask me to elaborate because I don't have a crystal ball, but I do know there are a lot of discussions.''The media all over the world is talking about that. I don't know where it will bounce, all I know is it's not over yet.''On the initial question, Lowy added that the FFA would not be bidding for any second-tier FIFA events, such as the Club World Cup or World Youth Cup, until after it had hosted the 2015 Asian Cup.''We will not be seeking, we will not be chasing, any other events in that time,'' Lowy said.FFA chief executive Ben Buckley reiterated that hosting Asia's showpiece event, which will be bankrolled by $61 million in public money and will be held in up to six cities along the eastern seaboard, was the organisation's priority.''That's where our focus and efforts will be applied,'' he said.''That's what we look at as the major international event. We need to do a fantastic job to deliver on that, rather than chasing second-tier [FIFA] events.''
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/footbal...2-world-cup-20111128-1o39t.html#ixzz1f2wSKmpg
Well, I did some reading, and seriously the only way anyone would have a WC here is through some serious bribery.
Here are the problems with this cess-pool of a country:
- Caught with any religious materials on arrival to Qatar = deportation
- Any DVDs in your bag can be viewed by airport staff and if they are pornographic can lead to your arrest and/or deportation
- Drinking alcohol in public/being drunk is illegal
- Women cannot wear provocative clothing; i.e clothing not covering their shins or shoulders.
- Alcohol may only be consumed in a few of the top Westerner hotels in Qatar, all of which are said to be incredibly expensive, and require a permit to do so.
- Obviously no drugs (capital punishment for doing so)
- Kissing/hugging in public can lead to arrest
- Being gay is illegal