HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani says Qatar is ready to host either a winter or summer World Cup in 2022.
AFP
HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has said Qatar will put on one of the finest World Cups in history when it hosts the tournament in 2022.
Qatar and football's world governing body FIFA are coming under increasing pressure over the World Cup.
Europe's top leagues are firmly against any suggestion that the World Cup be moved to the winter to avoid the sweltering summer months in Qatar, while there have been allegations of horrific working conditions for migrant workers building stadiums and infrastructure.
"People should understand that Qatar had the best bid, and Qatar will provide and will do one of the best World Cups in history," HH the Emir told CNN on Thursday in what it billed as his first-ever interview as Emir of Qatar, adding: "And I'm sure about that.
"People don't want to accept, don't want to realise that a small country, Arab, Muslim country, can host a big event like that."
HH the Emir said that Qatar was ready to host either a winter or summer World Cup in 2022.
"Our bid was for it to be in summer," he said. "At the end, it's up to FIFA to decide when is the best time."
To protect players from the heat of Qatar's fierce summer, the country is developing complex airconditioning systems for its stadiums.
"We have this technology for 10 years now and it's working in... one of our stadiums," HH the Emir told CNN.
"One hundred per cent it will be working" for the World Cup, he added.
The International Trade Union Confederation warned in June that as many as 4,000 migrant workers could die in construction site accidents by the time the 2022 tournament kicks off.
"Yes, it's true - we had problems," HH the Emir said. "We're solving the problems. We're enforcing the laws - it's not acceptable.
"We changed the laws. They are enforced and there are many laws that have been changed. And I'm telling you because I am personally hurt about the situation."
HH the Emir denied accusations that Qatar funded extremist groups in Syria, while stressing Qatar’s commitment to the US-led campaign against Islamic State jihadists.
"We don't fund extremists," he told CNN. "If you talk about certain movements, especially in Syria and Iraq, we all consider them terrorist movement."
"But there are differences. There are differences that some countries and some people (believe) that any group which comes from Islamic background are terrorists. And we don't accept that."
Qatar is now taking part in Washington's campaign against the Islamic State, which has seized swathes of Iraq and Syria.
HH the Emir confirmed this participation.
"We've been asked by our American friends if we can join, and we did," he said.
But he insisted that beyond defeating extremist movements in Syria, the long-term aim should be to punish the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
"The main cause of all this is the regime in Syria, and this regime should be punished," HH the Emir said.
"If we think that we're going to get rid of the terrorist movements and leave those regimes doing what - this regime especially, doing what he is doing - then terrorist movements will come back again," he warned.
