Hosting Perfect 2022 World Cup To Be Best Response To West's Criticism - Qatari Minister

Qatari Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali believes that making the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which his country is hosting, the best global sports tournament will be the perfect response to Western media's criticism of Doha.

ST. PETERSBURG (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th November, 2018) Qatari Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali believes that making the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which his country is hosting, the best global sports tournament will be the perfect response to Western media's criticism of Doha.

A number of Western media have criticized the Qatari organizing committee's promotional work for the 2022 World Cup. Russia faced similar pressure from media in the years leading up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

"From this point of view, we should also learn from Russia. I believe that it is necessary to concentrate on the project of hosting the championship [FIFA World Cup], focus on implementing what we have promised to do, work hard and organize the best world championship.

I think this is the best response to the criticism," Ghanem Al Ali told Sputnik on the sidelines of the 7th Saint Petersburg International Cultural Forum, currently ongoing in Russia's second largest city.

Qatar will follow Russia and host the football championship in four years. The dates for the matches, however, have been moved to November and December instead of its traditional June-July time frame, due to the country's hot climate.