LONDON: The six Arab countries who last month cut ties with Qatar are reported to have written to world soccer’s governing body FIFA to demand it be stripped of hosting the 2022 World Cup because they consider the Gulf state to be a “base of terrorism”.
The Swiss website The Local reported that Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Mauritania, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt had collectively written to FIFA asking it to remove Qatar as hosts under Article 85 of the FIFA Code, which allows for such action in the case of emergency.
Reuters has not seen a copy of the letter and FIFA said that their president Gianni Infantino had not received any such document.
“The FIFA president has never received such a letter and subsequently has not done any comment on that,” said a FIFA spokesman.
“As already said, FIFA is 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,” he added.
A source familiar with the Qatari government’s World Cup activities said Qatar is aware the Saudis and others are engaged in such a move but understands Qatar has not yet received the letter.
People in the United States who represent and advise the Saudi government have also not yet responded to Reuters’ request for confirmation or comment.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of supporting terrorism and Iran. Doha denies the charges.
Qatar, a country with a negligible soccer background or infrastructure, was a controversial winner of the right to host the 2022 World Cup, which will be held in November and December to minimise the impact of the desert state’s harsh climate.