ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Home | 3 Business | 13 Sport | 20 The PM officially QE main index India thrash opened the fell 4.61 percent, Bangladesh Police College or 556.89 points, by 109 runs to yesterday. in the past week. enter semis. FRIDAY 20 MARCH 2015 • 29 Jumada I 1436 • Volume 20 Number 6375 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 2022 Cup final on National Day Tournament likely to start on November 21: Report Stadium cooling work to go ahead ZURICH: Football’s governing body FIFA yes- England and other countries opposed this because terday approved staging the final of the 2022 of the clash with traditional games played over the DOHA: Qatar said it heart- with the Interpol to ensure safety World Cup to coincide with Qatar’s National Day Christmas and New Year period. ily welcomes FIFA Executive and security in the country dur- on December 18, a top official said. UEFA, Europe’s governing body had initially pre- Committee’s decision to hold ing the event. It was signed on the A FIFA task force recommended last month that ferred December 23 for the final, but have since 2022 World Cup in November- sidelines of 81st general assembly the tournament be switched from summer to winter changed their minds. December in pleasant weather of the Interpol in Italy recently. and played in November and December. However, European federations are and reiterated its resolve to He said Qatar has announced FIFA’s Communications Chief Walter de Gregorio still wor- ried about dates for international make the event memorable. earlier that it is ready to host said deciding the date of the final was “an important matches scheduled at that time. The organising committee, the event in summer or winter as step. Finally, we know and we can move forward. The compromise will probably though, added that despite the decided by FIFA. “We will comply “The final will be on December 18. It is a see the tournament reduced to 28 winter schedule, it will go ahead with all decisions of FIFA with Sunday and it is also National Day of Qatar, days instead of 32 for 2014 World with stadium cooling plans for regard to the 2022 event, and we so it fits perfectly,” he told reporters. Cup in Brazil. use of the unique outdoor sport- began making preparations for it Qatar was awarded the 2022 finals in Noel Le Graet, President, ing facilities by Qatar’s future since we were given the right to December 2010 on the basis it would take French Football Federation, generations. host it in late 2010.” place in the summer in air-conditioned said the proposed date could “We will continue with our Qatar will show to the world stadiums. push European leagues to play plans to develop the cooling that 2022 World Cup will be one But within days, Franz Beckenbauer, an more matches in summer. system for the stadiums. There of the best ever held in its history. executive committee member at the time, and “It is a good decision for will be cooling inside and the About the 28-day schedule of UEFA President Michel Platini suggested a players,” Le Graet told report- open areas of the stadiums,” said next 10 years and that includes the tournament, he said it is tight winter World Cup would be possible. ers. “I have always been a Hassan Al Thawadi (pictured), an extensive railway system with but it will be held smoothly and FIFA had to change from the traditional June- supporter of playing less Secretary-General, Supreme Greater Doha Metro, roads and beautifully. “We will continue to July World Cup and thus will be the first tourna- in winter and more in Committee for Delivery and expressways, playgrounds and make announcements of plans ment to be held in the northern winter. summer.” Legacy, QNA reports from stadiums, housing and hotels. to build one stadium after the “In principle, we try to play in 28 days. The next European clubs are Zurich. He said the stadium cool- Qatar had a budget surplus of other. Soon, plans for Al Rayyan step will be to have different talks, especially (on) expected to press for some ing technology is exceptional and around $28bn until last January Stadium will be announced.” the international calendar,” the official added. kind of compensation for will leave behind a legacy. despite the fact that crude rates This year, plans to build sev- The date of the start of the tournament will prob- halting their national He said 12 stadiums are being began tumbling in the middle eral stadiums will be made pub- ably not be decided until the end of the year, FIFA league and Champions built for 2022 World Cup, out of of 2014. Al Thawadi, also CEO, lic, he said. Soccer fans the world sources said. League games for at least which five will be new and the Local Organising Committee over had been waiting for the However, five weeks. remaining seven will be upgraded. (LOC) was in Zurich with a announcement by FIFA about Telegraph FIFA The total cost of building new Qatari delegation during FIFA the schedule of the event. “They newspa- President Sepp stadiums and upgrading the executive committee meeting must be excited now.” per said Blatter has existing ones to world and FIFA yesterday. The working committee of the begin- previously said standards will be $4.2bn. The main job of LOC is to FIFA had met in Doha last month ning of compensation The new stadiums will have coordinate with FIFA to hold the and recommended that the event the World was not needed. solar-powered cooling systems in 2022 event, while the Supreme should be held in November- Cup will But he has and out so that even during hot Committee for Delivery and December. The suggestion was be around since held talks and humid days, spectators can Legacy was set up by Emir made since temperatures are November with the head enjoy matches in pleasant tem- H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad high in Qatar during the summer 21 as FIFA of the European peratures. “Work on the cooling Al Thani last year and its job is months. The decision by FIFA has suggested it would be a week-and-a-half shorter Club Association, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, system has begun and enough to create the best conditions to to change the schedule to win- than usual. Chairman of German giants Bayern Munich. investments have been made in host the world’s greatest sport- ter will have an impact on world The decision on the date of the 2022 final ended a FIFA paid $70m to clubs who had players at 2014 research and technology develop- ing event. Al Thawadi said coor- soccer. This is the first time since long-running and acrimonious debate on the timing. World Cup and this scheme could be enlarged for ment,” he said. dination among the three key the first World Cup in Uruguay However, European clubs have complained about 2022. Sliding global oil prices not- panels — FIFA, LOC and the in 1930 that the event’s schedule the disruption to their cash-rich domestic champi- UEFA is promising $170m for clubs whose play- withstanding, Qatar is committed Supreme Committee — will now has been changed from summer onships on account of a winter World Cup. ers are on duty at 2016 European Championships to spending $200bn on infra- be accelerated. to winter for 2022, an expert told And even the dates for the November-December in France. structure development over the He said Qatar has inked a deal this daily. THE PENINSULA tournament were not unanimous. AGENCIES Detained Qatari Umrah: Meningitis jab freed by UAE returns home mandatory for pilgrims DOHA: One of the two young DOHA: Vaccination against they will not be turned away at Qatari nationals taken into cus- infectious diseases, especially the Saudi border,” he said, adding tody by UAE authorities last meningitis, has been made that many aspiring pilgrims are year has been released. mandatory for people travelling still not aware of the new rule. Youssef Abdussamad Ali Al to Saudi Arabia for perform- Tour operators say that the Mulla, 30, has safely returned ing Umrah, say tour operators number of people travelling from home, Al Sharq reported yester- based in Qatar. Qatar for Umrah has dropped day quoting “informed” sources. The health requirements issued significantly after a recent deci- Comments on local social media by Saudi Arabia for Haj and sion by the Ministry of Interior said he was welcomed back, with Umrah pilgrims actually included banning visitors from going for people hoping the other Qatari vaccination against meningococ- Umrah. Earlier a number of expa- would be freed soon. cal meningitis but this rule was triates used to bring their fami- Al Mulla, according to some not strictly implemented in the lies and relatives on visit to Qatar social media commentators, was case of Umrah. for the purpose of performing the dropped in Al Sila at the UAE- However, the Saudi authorities pilgrimage. Qatar border yesterday. are no more allowing in Umrah The Saudi decision banning for- “He was dumped there,” some pilgrims from other countries eigners from going for Umrah in tweeters claimed. His photo- Forces loyal to President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi seen in Aden yesterday. who have not taken the required private cars is expected to further graphs taken at regular intervals vaccination before their depar- reduce the number of pilgrims, during his journey back home ture to the holy lands, say tour say industry sources.