Tuesday, September 17, 2013

I'm a doctor, not a World Cup organizer

Just to get warmed up, take a look at this:



Sound familiar?

Now take a look here, where the CMO of FIFA should have stopped after saying these words. Here's the quote from FIFA health chief: Winter Qatar World Cup a must:

D’Hooghe said: “My position is very clear. From the medical point of view I think it will be better not to play during the hot summer months."

He's right of course. It's not good for the players to be exerting themselves in 50C (122F) heat. Only problem is that he started to dismiss that with the technical advances to the stadiums where players and fans could operate in "acceptable" temperatures.

It turned a bit ridiculous when he stated this:
“They will need to travel from venue to venue and I think it’s not a good idea for them to do that in temperatures of 47 degrees or more.”

I appreciate the concern, but somehow I don't see how exposure from air conditioned hotel via air conditioned car to air conditioned stadia is a risk. Even omit the air conditioned trip between hotel and stadia and you get some discomfort, yes, but hardly debilitating.

Michel D’Hooghe, Chair of the FIFA medical committee, who REALLY is a doctor, and seemingly a stand up guy, I believe mixed his professional and personal opinions on this one. If he kept it to a medical discussion, I am with him ... it's hot, we get it. But to stretch that logic into why the World Cup should be moved, if it genuinely does not pose a threat is another matter.

Then again, I'm an engineer, not a meteorologist.

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