Michel Platini more concerned by slavery than timing of Qatar 2022

UEFA president Michel Platini has suggested that it would be “impossible” for FIFA to decide whether the 2022 World Cup should be moved from the summer at its executive committee meeting this week.

FIFA’s Exco, of which Platini is a  member, had been expected to announce a decision in principle on Friday that the World Cup should be moved from the summer to winter because of the extreme heat in the Gulf state.

But, it appears that the meeting may be somewhat anti-climatic, with several Exco members advising against acting in haste over such a monumental decision.

The Frenchman, who voted for Qatar to host the tournament and wants it moved to the winter, said: “There will be no decision. It is impossible.”

Fifa president Sepp Blatter refused to discuss the matter when approached on Wednesday and Platini added: “We must wait to see what proposal president Blatter will bring to the executive committee.”

The Exco will also discuss allegations Qatari companies had effectively employed slave labour in building the infrastructure that will allow the country to host the World Cup.

“I’m much more concerned about that than the discussion about summer and winter,” said Platini.