FOOTBALL’S World Cup in 2022, to be hosted by Qatar, was always billed as a regional event. Other countries in the Gulf offered hotel rooms and training facilities. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said it would even host matches. But last June the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain broke off diplomatic relations with Qatar, angry about its support for Islamists and its ties to their nemesis, Iran.
On the sidelines a substitute is warming up: Iran. It is in early talks with Qatar to take on some of the hosting duties. Iran is already helping to feed Qatar amid a Saudi-led blockade. Its islands of Kish and Qeshm have hotels aplenty that could accommodate fans. Hooligans may be disappointed: Iran enforces sharia at its resorts, including a ban on alcohol.
Questions still abound over how Qatar, with no football culture and a stifling climate, won the rights. Including Iran would invite even more scrutiny. But Qatar may have little choice. Though it promised to build 100,000 hotel...Continue reading
Source: Middle East and Africa http://ift.tt/2DilDs3
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