Why the debate about the Qatar World Cup should be on wider issues

The battle to move the 2022 Qatar World Cup is developing into quite a classic. However, like many such football debates, it is being conducted on false premises.

The argument being presented is that it cannot be moved to winter because it would mean the original terms under which the bidding took place were wrong. It is assumed that when Qatar won the bid back in 2010 they and their rivals competed in a competition where they signed a document saying the tournament would be held in the summer. So if it is moved now, the terms of the contest have been violated and this would mean either FIFA pays compensation to the bidders that lost or it reopens the whole contest. This, argue critics, is only fair.