Qatar 2022: At least the players will not be tired at the World Cup, says chairman of FIFA’s medical commission

Predictably last week’s announcement by a FIFA task force that the World Cup in Qatar should be moved to November and December 2022 drew widespread opposition.



Having accepted that searing summer temperatures ruled out a tournament in the traditional June-July window, the major European leagues had been hoping for an April-May event.



But Michel D’Hooghe, the chairman of FIFA’s medical commission, believes the move is right and says this decision should have been taken back in 2010 when the hosts were confirmed.

Qatar 2022: At least the players will not be tired at the World Cup, says chairman of FIFA’s medical commission

“I am not surprised by the recommendation to move to winter,” says the Belgian, who has been on FIFA’s executive for 26 years. “From the medical side, I am very happy.”[image error]