IOC Seeks FIFA Talks Over Qatar Winter World Cup Plans; Ghana Suspended

(ATR) IOC president Jacques Rogge is calling for talks with FIFA toavoid any potential clash between the Winter Olympics and Qatar WorldCup in 2022.

FIFA chief Sepp Blatter said last week it was likely the first World Cupin the Middle East would be shifted from the summer to winter months toprotect the players. Summer temperatures in the Gulf state can reach50C. But this could conflict with the Olympics schedule.

Speaking after the IOC's Executive Board meeting, Rogge told reporters:"We have had not had contact with FIFA for the reason it is a veryhypothetical discussion. FIFA has not taken a decision in principle toshift to winter months."

Rogge insisted the IOC's Winter Olympics January-February schedule wasimmovable. "There's no way we can organise it in December or in March,"he said.

"For us it is clear that is the bracket of the Games. It would besensible once a decision is envisaged by FIFA to sit around the table tosee it is not harmful for either of the two parties," Rogge added.

"FIFA will take quietly a decision, taking into consideration thebracket that we have to respect. There might be very sensiblediscussions to avoid the clash."

FIFA Ex-Co member Franz Beckenbauer led calls to switch the World Cup toJanuary soon after Qatar was awarded the tournament on Dec. 2. FIFPro,the international players' union, and UEFA president Michel PLatini havebeen among those backing a change to the traditional June-July FIFAschedule.

Qatar 2022 organisers, who have proposed to air-condition stadia,training facilities and fan parks to beat the heat, are not rushing tochange their plans.

"We're looking to host the World Cup as we submitted, as per our bidbook, during the required times by FIFA. At this moment in time we'relooking at the summer period for 2022," Qatar 2022 CEO Hassan al-Thawaditold World Football INSIDER, sister publication of Around the Rings,last week.

Qatar's football leaders know that an overhaul of their bid plans willbring with it huge problems for the international football calendar in2022 and the years before and after it. Platini and FIFA secretarygeneral Jerome Valcke have already hinted at the logistical problemswhile some leagues and clubs have registered their opposition.

Rogge Brushes Aside Blatter Criticism

Derogatory comments made by Blatter about the IOC's transparency weredismissed by Rogge as little more than a "slight incident".

Last week, the Swiss said FIFA was far more transparent than the IOC,despite a World Cup bribery scandal that has damaged FIFA's reputationand allegations of corruption levelled at several FIFA Ex-Co membersin aBBC Panorama documentary in December.

Blatter, one of the IOC's 115 members, said the IOC's accounting methodswere "like a housewife who receives some money and spends some money".

On Tuesday, Blatter telephoned Rogge to apologise for the comments.

Rogge maintained the IOC's relationship with FIFA was "excellent"."There was what I would call a slight incident. The incident that aroseis the past. I don't think about it. So we are working constructivelywith FIFA. FIFA is an important part of the IOC."

Rogge also commented on the IOC ethics commission investigation intoallegations made in the BBC Panorama documentary that FIFA Ex-Co memberstook kickbacks from ISL, the football body's former marketing partnerin the 1990s. Confederation of African Football leader Issa Hayatou, whois also an IOC member, was among those named in the TV program.

"The ethics commission is collecting information. I know that they are discussing with the BBC ," he said.

"I'm not privy to the decisions of the ethics commission, but I believethat the BBC, under the condition that the identity of the sources wouldbe preserved, would be willing to give information. We need thatinformation."

Ghana Suspended, Netherlands Antilles NOC to Lose Status

The IOC has suspended Ghana's NOC following government meddling in itsaffairs, meaning its athletes face the prospect of a ban from competingat the London 2012 Olympics.

The suspension comes after the IOC had exhausted its efforts to persuadethe government and sports ministry to revise sports legislation that isin breach of the Olympic Charter.

The IOC said the change would allow the NOC and Olympic Movement in Ghana to operate "in full autonomy".

In another NOC-related matter, the IOC is proposing to withdraw IOCrecognition from the Netherlands Antilles Olympic committee because of anew constitutional structure in the five islands. As a consequence ofthe formal dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in October, theterritory does not legally exist anymore.

The IOC Session convening in Durban in July will vote on the issue.

Rogge said the IOC did not want to harm the athletes and measures wouldbe proposed to continue to finance them. If they qualify for the LondonOlympics, they could compete under the Olympic flag.

Withreporting from Mark Bisson in Lausanne

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