Soccer’s governing body FIFA said on Monday it was in “regular contact” with the organising committee of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, though it did not comment directly on the diplomatic situation involving the Gulf State. FIFA said in an emailed statement that it was “in regular contact with the Qatar 2022 Local Organising Committee and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy handling matters relating to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Qatar’s local World Cup organising committee and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC,) which organises international matches in the region, both declined to comment. The 2022 World Cup is the centrepiece of a carefully crafted strategy to project Qatar on to the global stage via sport. It has already hosted the 10th Artistic Gymnastics World Cup and an IAAF Diamond League athletics meeting, and a FINA Swimming World Cup is scheduled for September.

Source: Hindustan Times June 05, 2017 13:46 UTC