Netherlands coach Van Gaal says Qatar World Cup ‘ridiculous’
FILE - FIFA President Joseph Blatter announces Qatar as the host of the 2022 World Cup at a ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland, on Dec. 2, 2010. Theo Zwanziger, head of the German soccer federation at the time, was one of the sport's most prominent critics of the decision. In response, the Qatari government hired a company staffed by former CIA operatives to use spycraft to silence Zwanziger, according to internal company documents reviewed by The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus, File)
AMSTERDAM (AP) — Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal believes it is “ridiculous” the World Cup is being played in Qatar.
The finalists discover on April 1 who they will be playing at the Nov. 21-Dec. 18 tournament that is one of the most controversial hosting selections in FIFA’s history.
“It’s ridiculous that we’re going to play in a country to — what does FIFA say? — to develop football there,” Van Gaal said on Monday, “and you do that by organizing a tournament in that country. That is (expletive). But it doesn’t matter. It’s about money, commercial interests. That’s what matters to FIFA.”
The World Cup vote was dogged by corruption allegations that FIFA did not verify, and Qatar has been forced to improve working conditions after rights groups highlighted violations in the construction of the stadiums in the tiny Gulf country.
“Why do you think I’m not on commissions in FIFA with my … expertise?” Van Gaal said. “Because I have always opposed this sort of organization. It’s not right.”
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