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2022 Qatar fallout, more news

World Cup Host announcement fallout headlines

From ESPN: “World Cup decisions defy logic”
From SI.com: “World Cup bid process flawed and in need of greater transparency”
From The Guardian: “World Cup 2002: ‘Political craziness’ favours Qatar’s winning bid”
From AFP: “US fans vent frustration over failed World Cup bid”
From Goal.com: “US Soccer President Sunil Gulati: Politics The Reason US Didn’t Get Awarded 2022 World Cup”
From the Wall Street Journal: “Angry Online Reaction in U.S.”
From the New York Times: “U.S. Should Know There’s No Sulking in Soccer
From the New York Daily News: “In awarding 2022 World Cup to Qatar over America, FIFA shows it’s either stupid or corrupt, or both
From philly.com: “U.S. Soccer chief: ‘Alliances’ related to ‘odd vote patterns'” “World Cup site decisions sparks theories in United States” “One explanation for snubbing of America, England: FIFA’s politics” “In Phila., disappointment as U.S. fails”
From the Houston Chronicle: “Did U.S. get suckered? FIFA appears as corrupt as ever”
From Dirty Tackle: “The real winner of the 2022 World Cup decision: Zinedine Zidane”

Barack Obama on Qatar win: “I think it was the wrong decision.”

Eric Wynalda on Qatar win: “Basically, oil and natural gas won today. This was not about merit, this was about money,”

Alexi Lalas on Qatar win:” [I]f there was ever a time for Detroit to come out with a salt-water car, it’s now. Because if Qatar (doesn’t have the resources to stage the Cup), it’s coming to the U.S.”

Statement from Mayor Nutter regarding the decision: “While I am disappointed that the United States was not chosen for the 2022 World Cup, I am extremely proud that Philadelphia was one of eighteen U.S. finalist cities. Philadelphia is not only a great sports town, but we are a great soccer city. Philadelphia will continue to host national and international matches in the years ahead, and we’ll be ready to sign up when it’s time to bid for the World Cup once again.”

More Fun Facts About Qatar

Great, more vuvuzelas.

Qatar’s FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking: 113 (down four spots from previous ranking).

Reporters Sans Frontièrs Press Freedom Index for Qatar: 120th in the world. For Russia, 140th.

From Amnesty International’s most recent report on Qatar, “Domestic legislation discriminates against women; in particular, laws concerning marriage and divorce favour men…Other legislative provisions restrict women’s right to freedom of movement and discriminate against them in relation to nationality. Women must obtain the written approval of their husband or guardian before applying for a passport…Violence against women, including rape, other forms of sexual abuse and beatings, is widespread, in particular against female domestic workers, the vast majority of whom are foreign nationals…Arbitrary arrest and detention without charge or trial appears to be common practice in Qatar…Deprivation of nationality has been used by the government against a number of individuals and tribes to target political opponents.”

Everything that will be needed for the 2022 World Cup will have to be built from the ground up. Those doing the building won’t be Qataris but migrant workers. Here’s what Amnesty International has to say about how they are treated in Qatar:

“They are generally employed under exploitative contracts which give their employers extensive powers over them. The contracts often stipulate that they are unable to move jobs or leave the country without obtaining the permission of their employer. In addition, employers often confiscate the passports of migrant workers or arbitrarily withhold payment of wages. Migrant workers are not adequately protected by Qatari law and are generally unable to access the justice system to challenge the decisions of their employers or to seek redress, because they are trapped at home and because of the prohibitive costs of going to court and language barriers.

In 2007, some 20,000 migrant workers were reported to have run away from their employers because they were not paid their salaries or because of their harsh living conditions. Such conditions reportedly contributed to several fires in workers’ accommodation in different parts of the country in 2008.”

Union

Agudelo, McInerney and Okugo in Spain

The Union are optimistic that the World Cup snub won’t hurt soccer in the US.

The Generation Adidas squad beat Real Madrid reserves yesterday 2–1. Amobi Okugo played the full 90 and Jack McInerney came on in the 61st minute.

The Names for the Re-Entry Draft will be released today.

Your Footy on the Telly™ listings

Friday December 3
Lazio v Inter Milan 2:30pm on FSC
Notre Dame v Ohio State 4pm on ESPN2, ESPNU (NCAA women’s semifinal)
Stanford v Boston College 6:30pm on ESPNU (NCAA women’s semifinal)
USA v Brazil 7pm on FSC (U-17 friendly)
Saturday, December 4
Ipswich v Swansea 7:30am on FSP
Eintracht Frankfurt v Mainz 9:30am on GolTV
Chelsea v Everton 10am on ESPN2
Arsenal v Fulham 10am on FSC
Manchester City v Bolton 10am on FSP
Levante v Atletico Madrid 12pm on GolTV
Chievo v Roma 12pm on FSP
Blackpool v Manchester United 12:30pm on FSC
Blackburn v Wolves 2pm on FSP
AC Milan v Brescia 2:30pm on FSC
Real Madrid v Valencia 4pm on GolTV
Birmingham v Spurs 5pm on FSC
Huila v Santa Fe 6:15pm on GolTV
Millwall v Scunthorpe 8pm on FSP
Equidad v Tolima 8:30pm GolTV
Wellington v Adelaide 11pm on FSC
Sunday, December 5
West Brom v Newcastle 8:30am on FSP
Fiorentina v Cagliari 9am on FSC
Wigan v Stoke 10:30am on FSP
Espanyol v Gijon 11am on GolTV
Sunderland v West Ham 11am on FSC
NCAA women’s final 12pm on ESPN2
Doncaster v Barnsley 12:30pm on FSP
Fluminense v Guarani 2pm on GolTV
Catania v Juventus 2:30pm on FSC
Saint-Etienne v Bordeaux 3pm FSP
Leverkusen v Cologne 4pm on GolTV
USA v Turkey 7pm on FSC (U-17 friendly)

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