Japan Misses Out on 2022 World Cup

[Mulboyne]

[floatl][/floatl]Japan wasn't a leading contender for the 2022 World Cup but FIFA's choice of Qatar is definitely a surprise. 2018 has gone to Russia and it looks like England's bid lost in the first round of voting.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Both 2018 and 2002 were, perhaps, surprise choices, but I think both will do outstanding jobs and it's great to see them getting a chance instead of the same old cuntries.
I'm a little worried about the booze in Qatar, though, and what they do with women. I was there about 20 years ago and Qatar follows Saudi Arabia as the strictest Gulf cuntry in terms of restrictions on alcohol consumption and lots of foreign women needed to cover their heads and stuff. I wonder how Anheuser-Busch is going to react if its Budweiser sales are restricted?
Anyway, it's a lovely place and I hope it does a lot to improve the image of the Arab world...mind you, it's still 12 years away and the way a certain superpower acts when its petrol supply is threatened there may not be an Arab world left by that time.

[Samurai_Jerk]

it's still 12 years away and the way a certain superpower acts when its petrol supply is threatened there may not be an Arab world left by that time.

Stop with your unrealistic eutopian visions of the future.

[2triky]

Both 2018 and 2002 were, perhaps, surprise choices, but I think both will do outstanding jobs and it's great to see them getting a chance instead of the same old cuntries.
I'm a little worried about the booze in Qatar, though, and what they do with women. I was there about 20 years ago and Qatar follows Saudi Arabia as the strictest Gulf cuntry in terms of restrictions on alcohol consumption and lots of foreign women needed to cover their heads and stuff. I wonder how Anheuser-Busch is going to react if its Budweiser sales are restricted?
Anyway, it's a lovely place and I hope it does a lot to improve the image of the Arab world...mind you, it's still 12 years away and the way a certain superpower acts when its petrol supply is threatened there may not be an Arab world left by that time.

The heat in Qatar can reach 110-120 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. I question the wisdom of choosing a host country with such extremely hot weather. I understand that they will build indoor air-conditioned stadiums but one has to suspect that such weather might impair the conditioning and performance of the players.

[Doctor Stop]

Japan wasn't a leading contender for the 2022 World Cup but FIFA's choice of Qatar is definitely a surprise.

A surprise, in what way? Qatar, or their agents, obviously paid the largest bribes. All that Japan probably offered was happoshu and kaki-pi.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

I question the wisdom of choosing a host country with such extremely hot weather...

Well, maybe there's not wisdom involved (except, perhaps, in bagging the heads of ugly women), but as Doctor Stop pointed out, the Qataris paid big bribes.

I've been to Qatar...parts of it are lovely and the people were pretty good. They'll do a good job, but you're right about the weather -- especially without booze.

[Mock Cockpit]

Both 2018 and 2002 were, perhaps, surprise choices, but I think both will do outstanding jobs and it's great to see them getting a chance instead of the same old cuntries.
I'm a little worried about the booze in Qatar, though, and what they do with women. I was there about 20 years ago and Qatar follows Saudi Arabia as the strictest Gulf cuntry in terms of restrictions on alcohol consumption and lots of foreign women needed to cover their heads and stuff. I wonder how Anheuser-Busch is going to react if its Budweiser sales are restricted?
Anyway, it's a lovely place and I hope it does a lot to improve the image of the Arab world...mind you, it's still 12 years away and the way a certain superpower acts when its petrol supply is threatened there may not be an Arab world left by that time.

I've got a mate in Qatar and he says that alcohol is legal for non-Muslims but expensive and quite restricted. Qatar Airlines certainly has alcohol on-board but the airport in Doha doesn't seem to have any alcohol air-side except for duty free. Duty free prices were quite good though, bought a bottle of Irish Whisky there. They practically give ciggies away too.

[Kanchou]

I saw on Japanese TV showing "the most popular soccer team in Qatar's" pro soccer team... the stadium was almost entirely empty.

Uh...yeah.

Me thinks some FIFA heads just got a bit richer, and smell a bit like petroleum...

[2triky]

Well, maybe there's not wisdom involved (except, perhaps, in bagging the heads of ugly women), but as Doctor Stop pointed out, the Qataris paid big bribes.

Yes I think petrodollars are at work here. Qatar AND Russia, two oil rich producing states...

I've been to Qatar...parts of it are lovely and the people were pretty good. They'll do a good job, but you're right about the weather -- especially without booze.

Well it's not a dig on the people but like I said the weather is most likely to be brutal, both for player and fan alike. With a lack of tipple to boot...sounds like less than fun. Let's face it, many of the fans who are willing to pay major money to fly across the globe and buy the expensive tickets to attend these matches want to get sauced.

What, are they going to serve O'Doul's...

[Yokohammer]

Part of Qatar's proposal is an air-conditioned stadium that can be kept at a relatively cool 27 degrees C.
Now that is oil money at work.

[Kanchou]

They built a huge scale mockup just for the presentation... apparently it's cost was 'classified.'

[maraboutslim]

Part of Qatar's proposal is an air-conditioned stadium that can be kept at a relatively cool 27 degrees C.
Now that is oil money at work.

Oil money and their infamous slave labor. I can't believe FIFA gives such an "honor" to such a country that's on the wrong side of history.

[dimwit]

A bit late on commenting here, but by the what is this thing Japan has with including very young girls as presenters? Someone in TVland seems to think it is cute, for me, it is fresh-crawlingly creepy.

[memow]

The oil money, bribes and political influence bought two cups but football is a political game. Host countries are selected under the effect of lobbies, presidents, sheikhs, investors and companies.

Being a host means investments and funds will flow to your country. In Russia they will construct high-speed train network all around (which is enough investment alone) set aside arenas, sports halls, hotels, pensions, hospitals, heliports, and a few airports (airports in russia have relatively low capacity compared to similar towns in western countries). Sound like money laundry, considering that RF is a mafia country. You can trust my word on this beacuse i am a civil engineer and prepared so many projects to be built in RF (and former-soviet countries). It is happenning in Sochi, and will happen again.

Also I read that Platini said the cup may be held in winter time, when the weather in Qatar is relatively mild. When the money comes flowing, they find a way to take it . As we say here: The one who steals the minaret, prepares the sheath to put it.

[Kanchou]

The president of FIFA just pissed off the entire gay community be stating "they should refrain from sexual activity while in Qatar. "


Sounds like homophobia, although to be fair it's true... homosexuality is a crime there, and in some ME countries it's a capital one.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Totally unrelated to the topic, but I've just had a Eureka moment and had nobody else to tell it to...right now, 42 years after my coach instructed me about it, I finaly understand how I could have maintained a line to set up an offside trap....

[Greji]

Totally unrelated to the topic, but I've just had a Eureka moment and had nobody else to tell it to...right now, 42 years after my coach instructed me about it, I finaly understand how I could have maintained a line to set up an offside trap....

Are you sure that doesn't relate to homosexuals in Qatar? Might your coach have been referring to a backside trap for vagrant gays?

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Are you sure that doesn't relate to homosexuals in Qatar? Might your coach have been referring to a backside trap for vagrant gays?

For God's sake, Grej., don't interrupt my thought pattern when I something semi-lucid going through my mind....but, now that you mention it, he could very well have been talking about precisely that topic. Likelihood increases when you consider he was a middle-aged, unmarried Catholic man....

[Greji]

For God's sake, Grej., don't interrupt my thought pattern when I something semi-lucid going through my mind....but, now that you mention it, he could very well have been talking about precisely that topic. Likelihood increases when you consider he was a middle-aged, unmarried Catholic man....

Good point. Wonder if he did any time as an alter boy? That could account for certain traits....

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Good point. Wonder if he did any time as an alter boy? That could account for certain traits....

Being a Mick, he probably altered lots. And may have been an altar boy, too. Shite, even I was.
Always wondered why we had to tinkle those bells at those funny times....

Funny you should mention religion (Actually, you didn't and I did, but that's beside the point)....just had another Eureka moment.

I was thinking of becoming a guru, pretending to offer guidance, get myself declared a religious organization so everything's tax-free, then screw the living bejeezuz out of everyone, literally, figuratively and, of course, physically and spiritually.

I'll be BagOne Screwed-down Hairdo. If you wanna join, I'll make you my 2IC, but there's already a Pope, so in deference to your longevity I must ask you to settle for just being Pop.

I've got the charlatan bullshitter part down pat and am pretty sure I can lure people to believe my codswallop and think they're getting a spiritual awakening, can also probably organize riots against anyone who draws cartoons of me, aand can issue fatwas to make ugly birds cover themselves from head to toe, but the money side I'm useless at.

If there's anybody else out there who's also unemployed and doesn't mind get involved in a business whose morals sink lower than German alternative porn, ping me a PM and we'll start a religion.

[Mike Oxlong]

I was thinking of becoming a guru, pretending to offer guidance, get myself declared a religious organization so everything's tax-free, then screw the living bejeezuz out of everyone, literally, figuratively and, of course, physically and spiritually.

I'll be BagOne Screwed-down Hairdo. If you wanna join, I'll make you my 2IC, but there's already a Pope, so in deference to your longevity I must ask you to settle for just being Pop.

I've got the charlatan bullshitter part down pat and am pretty sure I can lure people to believe my codswallop and think they're getting a spiritual awakening, can also probably organize riots against anyone who draws cartoons of me, aand can issue fatwas to make ugly birds cover themselves from head to toe, but the money side I'm useless at.

If there's anybody else out there who's also unemployed and doesn't mind get involved in a business whose morals sink lower than German alternative porn, ping me a PM and we'll start a religion.

A guide...

[Coligny]

If there's anybody else out there who's also unemployed and doesn't mind get involved in a business whose morals sink lower than German alternative porn, ping me a PM and we'll start a religion.

What's the licensing cost to open a franchise ? i'll take the Toyohashi Chapter, I already got the perfect building for a church (and dad in law's mother was like totally in this kind of crap, borderline cult leader, so it might not look too out of place at home...)

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

A guide...

Brillliant! But he's got too many scruples...I guess it comes from the name...

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

...I already got the perfect building for a church (and dad in law's mother was like totally in this kind of crap, borderline cult leader, so it might not look too out of place at home...)....

Messiah!