It's an absolute joke of a decision. Russia less so because I like Russia a lot and 'ordinary' Russians and they do have a footballing history and clubs like Spartak ,CSKA with history.
But who will benefit ? They have very low crowds in their Premier League and a history of ongoing crowd violence and racism.
It should not be imperative upon a government to revitalize a nation by taking on a major sporting competition. That should be the first obligation of any government to improve the lot of it's people not wait around for something like this to come around and then improve infrastructure.
What will happen is these stadia will become for the most part white elephants as they have done in South Africa .Too large for the local team. Where is the legacy there ?
South Africa is out of pocket by three billion pounds and did any of the locals benefit ?
It's just an oppurtunity for the rich oligarchs to benefit. They own the companies that will build the infrastructure. These same oligarchs who think nothing of spending thousands on a meal while many Russians in towns across the state struggle to feed themselves.
Will these 'ordinary' Russians be able to afford to go to the games ?
These same oligarchs who were lampooned by true great Russian such as Bulgakov in literature and Shostakovich in music.
A World Cup to boost the massage the ego's of a very very tiny wealthy elite. A bit like who ?
Those billions could be better spent on infrastructure across Russia and indeed other Russian sport's which have lost a lot of their funding and also world class coaches who have gone abroad to bring them back to Russia.
Qatar ? They may build air conditioned stadia. How is this environmentally friendly ? It could be that they are solar powered I suppose. However in such a piddling little country ruled by autocrats where will fans go and be put up ?
Meanwhile Australia which has a genuine basis for this legacy nonsense gets ignored. India and China should have been considered for the World Cup even if they strangely had not made a bid.
They have the means and the infrastructure and a genuine case as well to create a legacy as well as already burgeoning footballing 'markets' and millions of kids who love the game.
Qatar ? How an earth does this create a legacy ?
As I said before FIFA worships mammon. FIFA is about one thing only mammon. I have my suspicions that certain bank accounts secret of course have been lined by the oligarchs and oil sheikhs.
Bloater aside from declaring China invented football.....

(stupid ****) told the FIFA committee 'beware of the press' a reference to the British media no doubt.
Who the hell is he and FIFA to dictate to sovereign governments ? His own election is marred by corruption allegations and buying votes.
None of the results and who voted for what will be made public unlike say for the IOC. Very open and transparent and democratic indeed. No wonder FIFA will feel right at home in Russia and Qatar where journalists disappear or get incarcerated for exposing shady and nefarious practices.
Funnily enough for a supposed closed ballot though the news that we had failed in the first round was circulated long before the result.
This is a deliberate message from FIFA . In short don't you dare cross us or investigate our practices because otherwise this is what will happen ie you'll not have a cat's hell in chance of winning a WC bid.
I sincerely hope our press go deep and fully investigate this bidding process and what happened and what money changed hands and not to rest until every stone is turned.
Our bid was excellent in every respect. These decisions have nothing to do with football whatsoever.
Russia and Qatar's bid were rated the worst by FIFA's own technical committee in terms of infrastructure, in terms of logistics yet they win ????
How easy will it be for fans to attend these games ? We all saw the half empty stadia in South Africa for the pinnacle of association football partly because local's were priced out and secondly even people from Europe could not afford to go.
And just to remind how pathetic FIFA are ,local people selling drinks near grounds or merchandise to earn just a little more on their tiny incomes were unceremoniously removed or had their wares confiscated , because official sponsors would not tolerate this.
The FA do so much to help the game around the globe by sending millions in money to fledgling unions, sending coaches abroad, creating refereeing clinics , sending equipment and working in deprived parts of the world.
What do we get ? A kick in the teeth from these corrupt shysters.
Why can't individual associations do their own thing ? Why is it associations have to wait upon the say so of an incompetent fool to introduce for example goal line technology ? This despite the farce in this WC where a goal that billions could see had crossed the line was not given.
What does this mean for 2030 ? I just guess Argentina and Uruguay had better make sure they have millions ready to hand to put into some anonymous Swiss bank accounts.
Real football passion and history count for nothing. Forget having three of the greatest players in the history of the game di Stefano, Diego and Messi possibly and fanatical fans who generate an atmosphere unbeatable around the world it's all about money and dodgy deals.
FIFA Fair Play. Respect.......
http://www.playthegame.org/news/det...xecutives-named-as-isl-bribe-takers-5059.html