By SBI SOCCER
Khalifa International Stadium, one of Qatar’s proposed stadiums for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, is nearing completion.
The stadium located in Al Rayyan Municipality will be the first venue completed for the use of the World Cup, but it will also host the 2019 World Athletics Championships — which is being held in the Middle East for the first time. Approximately 90 percent of the structural concrete is laid, with the remainder expected to be finished in the next two months.
“We are very happy with the rapid progress of renovation works at the site,” project manager at Aspire Zone Foundation Mansoor Saleh B. Al-Muhannadi said. “Khabor between 3,300 construction workers.
“Kalifa International Stadium is moving to new heights with structural work in concrete and steel, and the vertical structure is now at level eight while strengthening works are also underway. We expect the stadium to be handed over by the main contractor at the end of 2016.”
The stadium will hold 40,000 people, and according to FIFA, a contractor told the world’s governing body that health and safety practices are the priority and no “recordable accidents” have come about from more than 3.23 million hours of labor among 3,300 construction workers.
Here are some more news items:
ARSENAL’S QUIET TRANSFER WINDOW DOWN TO LACK OF OPTIONS
Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger only added a single player, goalkeeper Petr Cech, to his arsenal during the summer transfer window, and that’s because he didn’t think there were many valuable pieces to choose from.
English Premier League rival Manchester United bought many players, including 19-year-old Anthony Martial from AS Monaco, and Wenger said that making Martial the most expensive teenager demonstrates the lack of quality that was available for purchase.
“I’ve heard Martial scored 11 goals in the French championship — that sums it all up well,” Wenger told beIN Sports. “That means it’s not the money that’s missing at the moment, it’s not the desire of investment that’s missing, it’s the number of players available who can strengthen the big clubs.
“So am I happy with the investment I make? Yes. Every time, I bought (Alexis) Sanchez, I bought (Mesut) Ozil, I bought Cech, I bought Gabriel last year, (Mathieu) Debuchy — when you find the players, you invest the money.”
However, despite Wenger’s feelings, fans wanted to see more players brought in. The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust, a supporters group for the Gunners, said in multiple messages on Twitter that they wanted to see their side become stronger to compete for a title this year.
“Arsenal are in a strong financial position and it is of course disappointing that [the] transfer window has closed with just the signing of Petr Cech,” the group said on Twitter.
“Arsenal have built a strong squad and just one or two more good additions would have strengthened the chances of winning a first title in 11 years.
ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC CALLS AC MILAN’S PURSUIT OF HIM “DESPERATE”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is never one to mince words, and he spoke his mind about a potential transfer back to Italy Wednesday.
AC Milan reportedly were interested in acquiring the services of the Swedish international once again, but the Paris Saint-Germain star left no doubt that he is not interested in returning to the team he once joined in 2010.
“It is [agent] Mino [Raiola] who takes care of the pieces,” Zlatan told the Daily Mirror. “When I give notice that I want something to happen I get involved. But this summer I have been resting up, I enjoyed the holiday, but I know that Milan were a bit desperate.”
Ibrahimovic added that the AC Milan’s interest in him was “concrete,” but he prefers to stay in Paris.
QUICK KICKS
Juan Mata says David De Gea is “calm and relaxed” despite the failed move to Real Madrid. (REPORT)
Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard said he “will never be a true scorer” like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. (REPORT)
After saying he “will never play for (West Bromwich Albion chairman) Jeremy Peace” again, Saido Berahino was given a break from the club. (REPORT)
Zenit claims Juventus and AC Milan made illegal approaches for Axel Witsel during the transfer window. (REPORT)
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What do you think of these stories? Starting to accept that the 2022 World Cup will stay in Qatar? Are you buying Arsene Wenger’s explanation or Arsenal’s quiet window?
Share your thoughts below.
Repulsive. Chuck and I had it all set up here.
This is the raw description of the whine wagon of the many who go into diatribes about why Qatar shouldn’t be hosting: Because we want it and feel entitled to host whenever we want.
I think it’s the blatant corruption and complete bait-and-switch thing that irritates people some too.
You know, how it’s actually going to be a winter World Cup that shuts down all the primo Euro leagues for six weeks because it was revealed Qatar actually couldn’t air condition a desert with magical floating clouds after all.
Try selling that bid back in 2010, and see how the vote goes then.
Wait, the primo euro leagues are going to shut down for a whole six weeks? Oh my gosh. So your saying teams will get a break midway through their season and have a chance to rest up and be ready for the second half of the season. Seven years from now. How can you be so sure that seven years from now the primo euro leagues won’t be on an MLS schedule?
Quozzel, you know what is blatant corruption? Having a second apt. In trump towers just for your pets, that is blatant corruption.
The Berahino quote is wrong. What’s up with these articles without bylines? Not that news aggregation really needs a byline, but still.
I wonder where they are going to build the barracks for the shock troops who will beat up any homosexuals that try to attend matches?
I just don’t see many people in general attending matches in Qatar. Honestly how many people are going to fly to a dusty wasteland in the middle of nowhere, where it’ll be 120+ degrees, alcohol is restricted/forbidden, women have to be covered head to toe, and an estimated 3000 people died in squalid conditions for a one time sporting event where the facilities will never be used again.
Need to stop this POS now and move it to Australia.
Or even better, move it here (though Australia is ok too)
They are not moving it. Nor should they.
I realize now that woman covered in head to toe isn’t your thing, and I am glad we have the freedom to wear whatever, but I have families on my soccer teams that do. In Seattle.
The world cup is about other societies. Some live in 120 degrees, some don’t drink, one in the future is rumored to drink too much, etc. It wasn’t exactly like the US when I went to other countries for the World Cups in the past and that was the beauty of it.
( IF people are dying because of slave labor, obviously another issue, but they said zero hurt. Like I said if that is not true, another issue )
I retain my belief that if it isn’t moved than it will be the lowest attended WC in the sport’s history. Being played in a region with a low population density, in a region of the world limited interest for a large portion of the worlds population; I cannot see this being successful.
As someone who’s played in high temperatures I can tell you that if the ambient temperature is 115+ than the field temperature would be near 130 or higher. This is a risk to both players & spectators.
Moving the date of the WC is a farce. It was bid as a summer competition. Moving it would cause havoc for leagues around the world and would confirm that FIFA is a bigger joke than everyone already believes.
Don’t worry, see those big arches across the top? That’s where the floating air conditioning clouds are tethered…
If you don’t think we can use the cadavers of migrant laborers to bolster attendance data, you are just not thinking fourth dimensionally….
Holding the world cup in a tiny country with no football history no stadiums and a labor force that’s rife with indentured servitude or worse isn’t a matter of respecting diversity. It’s a disgrace and trying to act like people are small-minded for wanting it moved is silly.
Personally, I’d like to attend this world cup and if it’s not in the US I’d welcome the chance to visit Australia, Japan or any of the other countries that bid.
You’re not small minded, but you are kidding yourself if you think these migrant workers would be better off if they were not working in Qatar. You’re kidding yourself about some other things also, but for starters, this is it.
There is going to be drinking in Qatar, and people are going to flock to this country in droves for the 2022 World Cup.
Ah, a guy with a condescending “life is bear poo, there is no justice, so drink up and get on with it” attitude and an Eastern European screen name. Hmm.
Because yes, being shanghaied into slavery to work construction 130-degree heat in the middle of a freaking desert while my boss takes my passport, tears up my original contract in front of me, and tells me I’m working for him for what he decides to pay me until he decides my debt is settled is exactly how I’d choose to spend my life, if I was from Nepal. I mean, what’s the difference?
Quozzel, I think I understand your problem. in your mind, everything you are saying is fact, but maybe in reality, it is not.
It’s my opinion that many Americans who felt hard done by the World Cup bidding process have found an easy target in Qatar.
your comment seemingly missed the point entirely. No one’s concerned with folks dressing head to toe. For the folks that want it moved from Qatar its for one or more of the following reasons
1) The process that gave the WC to Qatar was almost definitely corrupt, thereby allowing them to buy the WC. DO you actually think they had the best bid?
2) The countries were to bid on a summer WC, Qatar won the bid and now the WC will be in the winter, how is that fair?
3) It’s well documented that the Qatari’s employ slave labor, and have had workers die, not to mention the human rights violations. We shouldn’t be encouraging this type of behavior.
4) As a place, Qatar sucks. Not because of their religious beliefs, but because it’s a tiny tiny country with nothing but oil money and desert. It’s not a destination, it won’t help grow the game in the middle east and while it’s their money to waste, all of the infrastructure will be useless the day after the finals. No one’s going to make a vacation out of a WC in Qatar the way you could in say, oh I dont know, EVERY OTHER WORLD CUP EVER.
Say what you want… Slave labor is a very efficient way to get crap done.
Qatari officials assured the press that 3,300 East Asian workers will be confined to squalid worker’s housing with their passports withheld in the event that additional construction is needed.
Which is one of the more disturbing details.
Most of those workers are imported from neighboring countries which means their lives are valued even less.
More then 4,000 people will have died by the time Qatar is done constructing their stadiums.
And this month were showing our solidarity with Qatar by playing their U-23 team.
Yay USSF.
Then there is this: “everyone better clean up their own backyard, before they go knocking on their neighbors door.”