Blatter hints at rethink on Qatar World Cup

Sepp Blatter revealed on Friday he would look again at Qatar hosting the 2022 World Cup if any evidence of corruption emerges from Fifa investigations. The Fifa president also admitted there is a 'possibility' of the tournament switching to the winter if the Qataris ask for the change to avoid the dangerous 50 C heat in the Gulf during June and July. Blatter's decision not to rule out either option follows the torrent of suspicion, led by German football chief Theo Zwanziger and sponsors adidas, over how Qatar was awarded the competition. UEFA president Michel Platini has also called for the games to be played across the whole Arabian peninsular in December. Blatter, whose ethics committee, beefed up with external specialists, are examining all Fifa's corruption issues, said: "We are not touching now the Qatar World Cup. But we are going step by step into the matters. "And if somewhere through this committee of solutions, they should say we have to look at that, then we will do that. It's too easy to say we should re-open things. Zwanziger knows he has to first come to Fifa with the evidence. Sponsors have no influence. What they want is to be associated with Fifa." On a winter World Cup, Blatter added: "The basic is that it will be played in June and July. But we are not yet in the exact programme there. A change is a possibility, but it s not my decision. It has to come from the Qataris to ask to change something. For the time being, they haven t done that."