Qatar World Cup Now In Doubt, Sepp Blatter Re-Election As FIFA President Causes Major Rifts

The Qatar World Cup bid was never taken as a serious candidate for the 2022 World Cup selection. The sweltering heat, the history of human rights violations, and their unrelative history in soccer had many thinking that they stood no chance of winning the bid. However, when they did, it made many, especially the Western media, take notice.

Sepp Blatter to this day endorses the Qatar World Cup and still diminishes any wrongdoing during the process. Regardless, many have cried foul and in some cases have gathered evidence of corruption. Associations, such as UEFA, have taken notice of the level of corruption within the organization.

Sepp Blatter has been re-elected yet again as president of FIFA despite the massive scandal the organization has found itself in. Blatter, 79, won a fifth term as his opponent, Jordan’s Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, withdrew from the race.

Sepp Blatter had lost the support of key soccer association across the world. The U.S. soccer association were seen as the favorites, along with Australia, to win the bid for the 2022 World Cup. The president of U.S. Soccer, Sunil Gulati, threw his hat in support of Prince Ali, but Gulati made no intentions of rebelling further if Blatter had won.

U.S. Soccer will vote for Prince Ali bin Al Hussein for next president of FIFA. This is a vote for good governance & promise for our game.

— Sunil Gulati (@sunilgulati) May 28, 2015

However, UEFA, perhaps the most powerful association within FIFA, had not only voted against Sepp Blatter, but it also made contingency plans should Blatter be reinstated. UEFA’s president, Michel Platini, warns that he is ready for a shake up within FIFA, which could result in Platini withdrawing European nations from the future FIFA competitions such as the Qatar World Cup.

“Enough is enough. Too much is too much. In terms of our image it’s not good at all. I am the first one to be disgusted by this. I am saying this with sadness, with tears in my eyes. There have been too many scandals that have shaken the world of football.”

The scrutiny surrounding the Qatar World Cup has prompted many to boycott FIFA sponsors such as Visa who have now also threatened to withdraw their sponsorship amid the current corruption allegations.

Platini is heavily backed by other powerful associations within, such as the English Football Association. The UEFA president could unprecedentedly boycott the Qatar World Cup of 2022. With Sepp Blatter’s victory, the rift between FIFA and other interested parties is just beginning.

[Photo by Alexander Hassenstein / Bongarts / Getty Images]