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BERLIN — Qatar remained adamant it would host the 2022 football World Cup despite a FIFA Executive Committee member suggesting on Monday that the tournament would have to move because of scorching temperatures.

“The only question now is when, not if,” Qatar 2022 communications director Nasser Al Khater said in a statement. “Summer or winter, we will be ready.”

Theo Zwanziger, the former German football association chief who now sits on the executive committee of world football’s governing body, had said earlier that he felt the tournament would have to be held elsewhere.

“I personally think that in the end the 2022 World Cup will not take place in Qatar,” he told Sport Bild. “Medics say that they cannot accept responsibility with a World Cup taking place under these conditions.”

FIFA awarded the tournament to the tiny Middle Eastern country in a controversial decision in 2010, with the understanding that it would be held in the summer despite the searing heat.

Although oil and gas-rich Qatar has insisted that timetable is viable thanks to cooling technologies being developed for stadiums, training areas and fan zones, there is still widespread concern over the health of players and visiting fans.

“They may be able to cool the stadiums but a World Cup does not take place only there,” Zwanziger said.

“Fans from around the world will be coming and travelling in this heat and the first life-threatening case will trigger an investigation by a state prosecutor.

“That is not something that FIFA Exco members want to answer for.” 

Personal opinion 

FIFA officials, contacted by Reuters, said Zwanziger was not giving the view of the all powerful Executive Committee.

“He is expressing a personal opinion and he explicitly says so,” FIFA spokewoman Delia Fischer said. “We will not comment on a personal opinion.”

Qatar organisers said they have already proved that cooling technologies that would be used at the World Cup work.

“We have proven that a FIFA World Cup in Qatar in the summer is possible with state-of-the-art cooling technology,” said Al Khater.

“We have demonstrated that our cooling works in outdoor areas beyond stadiums. This summer we welcomed fans in Doha to an open-air Brazil 2014 Fan Zone with temperatures cooled to a comfortable 22^oC.

“The evolution of environmentally-friendly cooling technologies is an important legacy for our nation, region and for countries with similar climates — promising to expand the reach of hosting major sporting events to countries where it was never thought possible before.”

Despite the resources being thrown at high-tech cooling techniques, sceptism about Qatar’s ability to stage a World Cup in the summer — when temperatures can soar into the mid 40^oC — has not gone away.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter said in May that awarding the World Cup to Qatar was a “mistake” and the tournament would probably have to be held in the European winter.

“The Qatar technical report indicated clearly that it is too hot in summer, but the executive committee with quite a big majority decided all the same that the tournament would be in Qatar,” he said.

FIFA is looking at the option of shifting the tournament to January/February 2022 or November/December 2022 — both of which would be unpopular because of disruption to the domestic seasons in Europe and around the world.

Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa chaired a meeting to discuss the matter earlier this month.

AMMAN — Jordanian brothers Mohammad and Ahmad Seraj came up short against India in the squash team competition at the Asian Games in Incheon, the Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC) said Tuesday. Despite going 1-0 down after Saif Albrikit lost 3-0 to Kush Kumar, Ahmed Seraj "put in a brilliant performance to beat Mahesh Mangaonkar, who is ranked nine in Asia, 3-1", the JOC said in a statement. But Mohammad Seraj could not secure the victory needed against Sandhu Harinder, with Jordan losing 2-1. In basketball, Jordan lost to Mongolia 74-83 in the opening Group 1 match, according to the JOC.

MUNICH — The Bundesliga order looks to have been turned upside down with promoted Paderborn in the lead, followed by Mainz 05 and Hoffenheim while traditional heavyweights struggle at the start of the season after four games. For fans across Germany, who had largely been expecting another Bayern Munich title romp like last season, the current situation is a pleasant surprise. Minnows Paderborn, with a budget of five million euros ($6.43 million) — smaller even than that of many second division clubs — have shot out of the blocks to top the table on eight points with two wins and two draws. At the other end of the table 2007 Bundesliga champions VfB Stuttgart are in last place, behind former European champions Hamburg SV and Schalke 04, who compete in the Champions League this season.

AMMAN — Jordan’s Nabeeh Muammar heads for the UAE next week aiming to take an important step in his bid to reach the top level of motorsport, according to a media statement.

The Royal Automobile Club of Jordan has selected Muammar to represent the country in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia regional qualifying event for the 2015 FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy.

Fifteen young drivers from around the region will take part in the event, which is organised by the Automobile and Touring Club for the UAE (ATCUAE) and takes place at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit from September 28 to October 1.

At stake is a place in next year’s fully funded academy programme, which develops young talent and promotes safety in motorsport.

Muammar is aiming to become the third Arab driver to go through into the academy after the UAE’s Mohamed Al Mutawaa in 2012 and Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Bamogaddam, who came out on top in Abu Dhabi last year.

“The FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy has proved to be very successful in developing the best young talent for careers at the top level of motorsport,” ATCUAE President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, an FIA vice president, was quoted as saying in the statement.

“Competition for the one place available in Abu Dhabi will be fierce, and regardless of who wins, each of the drivers taking part will gain a great deal of knowledge and experience to help them in their own careers.”

The 21-year-old Muammar started karting in Amman in 2007 and the following year won the Rotax Max Challenge national series with three wins in four events. In 2009, he clinched the annual Umniah Karting Cup in Amman, and the same year finished runner-up in the Jordanian National Open Karting Challenge, repeating the feat in 2010.

The following year he claimed second place in the Middle East Easy Karting Cup in Sharm El Sheikh, and over the next two seasons took part in testing for the Formula Renault BARC Series in the UK. 

Among those hoping to come out on top in Abu Dhabi will be the UAE’s Mansour Al Helei, Kuwait’s Ali Makhseed, Oman’s Anas Al Raeesi, Lebanon’s Patrick Njeim and Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah El Khereiji. The other countries represented are Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Sudan, Syria and Tunisia.

The regional qualifying event will consist of a series of tests on the track, and in the classroom, at Yas Marina Circuit, home of the F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Open to nominated drivers aged 15-23, it is one of six regional qualifiers worldwide which will deliver a total of 10 drivers into the 2015 Academy programme.

Previous academy graduates include Formula One reserve drivers Alexander Rossi, Stoffel Vandoorne and Robin Frijns, and World Rally Championship drivers Andreas Mikkelsen, Pontus Tidemand and Craig Breen.

MUMBAI — Former world champions Spain will have to wait to regain their past glory but they need not discard their attractive brand of football that earned them fans and laurels, World Cup winning defender Joan Capdevila told Reuters in an interview.

Spain’s golden spell during which they won the 2010 World Cup and European titles in 2008 and 2012 came to an embarrassing end in Brazil this year when they crashed out of the World Cup after losing their first two games against the Netherlands and Chile.

The debacle was followed by the international retirement of ageing stalwarts such as Xavi and Xabi Alonso, which will severely test the next generation of players in the lead-up to the Euro 2016.

“It’s time for change and bring in some new players,” Capdevila, who was part of the winning sides in Euro 2008 and the World Cup in South Africa two years later, told Reuters.

Spain’s tiki-taka style, which took the world by storm during their golden period, has come under heavy scrutiny but Capdevila, who had 60 caps for the country, fiercely defended the possession-based style.

“The style of playing for Spain is going to be the same, just the players are going to change,” the left back said. 

SINGAPORE — Lewis Hamilton stormed to an emphatic victory at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday to wrest the championship lead from Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg after the German retired with steering wheel problems.

The Briton overcame an extended safety car period midway through the race, as well as the twin Red Bull challenge of Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo, to move three points clear of Rosberg with five races remaining.

"I had a dream this would happen last night... I just want to say huge thanks to my team," Hamilton said in a podium interview.

"I was so excited, I was looking for a clean weekend [without mechanical problems], and I had it. We always strive to get both cars one-two that was our goal, so things still to work on."

Fernando Alonso ended a good weekend for Ferrari with a solid fourth place finish on a hazy Singapore night with Brazilian Felipe Massa rounding out the top five in his Williams.

For Hamilton, the race could not have gone any better after he arrived in Singapore trailing Rosberg by 22 points and in desperate need of a strong finish to ensure he maintained his bid for a second world title after his 2008 triumph.

He saved his best for last in qualifying on Saturday to claim pole position from his teammate and when Rosberg was unable to get his Mercedes moving at the start of the formation lap, the writing was on the wall for the German.

Rosberg was forced to start from the pitlane at the back of the field and when Hamilton stormed clear into the first corner, he always looked on course to record his seventh victory of the season, and 29th overall, in the fastest car on the track.

The German retired in the pits after 14 laps when he could not get the car going again despite another change of steering wheel.

"The whole steering wheel just wasn't working so I didn't have any hybrid power and the shifting I would shift two gears at once all the time and I had no DRS," he told Sky Sports television.

"The car just wasn't working at all. And then there was no point to continue. It was a tough day really."

Only the inevitable safety car period, for seven laps midway through the race following Adrian Sutil's collision with Sergio Perez, added an element of doubt to the proceedings but Hamilton managed his tyres brilliantly to claim victory by 13.5 seconds.

"Coming to the last six races after I had a great race in Monza [where he won], we know we have a car to compete here," Hamilton added.

"I got off cleanly and of course it would have been a hardcore race if Nico was in the race with me... but later on in the race, I was a bit unaware of what I needed to do.

"I was nervous that if a safety car came out it would cause big problems but fortunately we got where we needed to go."

Vettel, Ricciardo and Alonso opted to go all the way to the finish once the safety car came in on the 37th of the 60-lap race, forcing Hamilton to build as big a lead as possible before pitting again to fit some soft “prime” tyres.

When he emerged back on the track on the 52nd lap, Vettel was ahead and Ricciardo snapping at his heels but the Briton was able to make the most of his fresher tyres and performed a magnificent pass on the German through turn seven to reclaim the lead for good.

"It is a circuit I really enjoy," said Vettel, who won the previous three Singapore races and qualified fourth on the grid.

"The atmosphere is great but it is tough. I had a good start, got past Daniel, then had a decent race, but the safety car came at the worst point for us with tyres borderline."

Jean-Eric Vergne drove brilliantly in his Toro Rosso to claim sixth place, his best finish of the season, with Sergio Perez, Kimi Raikkonen, Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen completing the top 10.

LONDON — Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes clubs found guilty of breaching UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules should be deducted points and have titles stripped rather than face fines. Premier League champions Manchester City, who face Chelsea in a heavyweight clash between the two title favourites on Sunday, were fined 60 million euros in May for breaking the rules, but the Portuguese believes stricter sanctions should be imposed. “Are the fines fair? I don’t think so. What is fair is to remove points and titles,” the 51-year-old was quoted as saying by British media. The FFP rules, which were set up by the Club Financial Control Body in 2012, are designed to limit financial losses and make football clubs more financially stable. FFP rules also dictated that their squad for this season’s Champions League was capped at 21 players rather than the usual 25, but Mourinho suggested the punishment was not enough to dissuade repeat offenders. “If you have to take one or two players off your list for the Champions League and instead of going with 24 go with 22, no problem,” he added. “But say you start the next championship with six points deducted, and play in the Europa League, that is more serious.”

INCHEON, South Korea — North Korea’s Om Yun Chol beat his own world record in the men’s 56-kilogramme clean and jerk by 1 kilogramme on Saturday to grab weightlifting gold on the first day of competition at the Asian Games.

Om, the 2012 Olympic champion and 2013 world champion, lifted 170 kilogrammes Saturday to earn North Korea’s first gold medal at the games — a regional version of the Olympics. Om also had a combined total of 298 kilogrammes to mark an Asian Games record after lifting 128 kilogrammes in the snatch.

Isolated North Korea has 150 athletes competing in 14 sports at the games in the South Korean city of Incheon, where they are being cheered by local fans despite the bitter hostility between their governments dating from the 1950-53 Korean war, which ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

Margarita Yelisseyeva of Kazakhstan won the other weightlifting gold in the women’s 48-kilogramme category with a combined weight of 194 kilogrammes.

At the end of the first day, hosts South Korea topped the medal table with five golds and a total of 13 medals. Powerhouse China was second with five golds and 11 medals overall. Mongolia is third with two golds, one silver and one bronze.

South Korea dominated in fencing, winning both gold and silver in the men’s epee individual and women’s sabre individual. Lee Ra-jin edged out teammate Olympic gold medallist Kim Jiyeon to win the sabre gold, while Olympic bronze medallist Jung Jin-sun defeated teammate Park Kyong-doo in the epee.

“It was pressuring at first because the fencing matches were placed at the beginning of the Asian Games,” Jung said. “But if we get to the end in this condition, I think we will be able to win eight, nine or even 10 gold medals.”

Kim said she was only slightly disappointed to have lost to another South Korean fencer.

“It’s true that I used up a lot of energy in the semifinal round, but I’d like to think that I lost because Lee Ra-jin played well,” Kim said.

Two bronzes were awarded in both events, split between fencers from China, Vietnam and Singapore.

Both of Mongolia’s golds came in judo, with Tumurkhuleg Davaadorj winning the men’s 66-kilogramme class and Urantsetseg Munkhbat taking the women’s 48-kilogramme competition. Japan’s Misato Nakamura won the women’s 52-kilogramme class and Yeldos Smetov took gold in the men’s 60 kilogramme.

In women’s football, highly favoured North Korea downed minnows Hong Kong 5-0.

In cycling, China and South Korea split the golds in the team sprint, with the hosts winning the men’s competition and China taking the women’s.

China also struck gold in synchronised swimming, leaving the silver to Japan and bronze to Kazakhstan.

Teams from 45 countries and regions from the Far East to the Middle East are competing in 42 sports at the games, including eight — such as bowling, cricket and squash — that aren’t part of the Olympic programme.

China’s team of almost 900 athletes is the largest, with 68 per cent of its athletes taking part in their first Asiad. Brunei has the smallest team at just 11 athletes.

A highlight of the 16-day games comes as early as Sunday, when China’s Olympic champion swimmer Sun Yang faces his chief rival, Park Tae-hwan of South Korea. They are due to clash in the 200-, 400-, and 1,500-metre freestyle events.

Also Saturday, Indonesia was formally named the host country for the 2018 Asian Games, filling the void created when Vietnam relinquished its hosting rights over financial concerns.

Indonesia’s National Olympic Committee said Saturday that events would be held in the capital of Jakarta, along with the regions of South Sumatra and West Java.

LONDON — Striker Diego Costa, who has scored seven goals for Chelsea in his first four Premier League games, cannot play more than once a week because of a hamstring problem, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has said.

Mourinho, looking down in the dumps after Chelsea could only draw 1-1 with Schalke 04 in their opening Champions League Group G match on Wednesday, started with returning veteran striker Didier Drogba in attack with Costa on the bench against the Germans.

The Brazil-born Spain international, who cost Chelsea £32 million ($52 million) when he joined from Atletico Madrid in the summer, replaced Drogba in the 74th minute, but could not keep up his remarkable scoring record which includes four goals in pre-season and seven in the League including his hat-trick against Swansea City on Saturday.

Mourinho said Costa’s injury is not connected to one he suffered towards the end of last season and which restricted him to just the first nine minutes when he played for Atletico against Real Madrid in last season’s Champions League final.

He did recover from that to play for Spain in the World Cup and Mourinho added: “When he came to us he was completely fine. He got the problem with the national team.”

Costa picked up the injury in Spain’s 1-0 defeat to France on September 4 and Mourinho said he could not play more than one match a week for the time being.

“If he has one week to let the muscle recover he can start. He played on Saturday and was not in condition to start the game today.”

Costa scored the last time he played in a Champions League match at Stamford Bridge — when he banged home a penalty in Atletico’s 3-1 win over Chelsea in last season’s semifinal — but failed to hit the target during the later stages of the game against Schalke as Chelsea sought the winner.

“It was not to protect Costa for the game against Manchester City on Sunday, it was because he was not in condition to start the game,” Mourinho said.

“Playing on Saturday, three days is not enough for him to recover. He will play against City but he cannot play against Bolton [in the League Cup] next week, that’s for sure.”

Drogba, back at Chelsea after two years away playing in China and Turkey, was playing in his first Champions League match for the club since scoring the decisive penalty in the 2012 final shoot-out against Bayern Munich.

He had two good chances to score but fired narrowly wide and then blazed a chance over the bar in the second half.

Chelsea dominated much of the match and took the lead when Cesc Fabregas scored his first goal for the club in the 11th minute but Chelsea failed to capitalise on their superiority and allowed Schalke to escape with a point after Klaas-Jan Huntelaar equalised in the 62nd minute.

Bayern Munich’s last-minute victory over Manchester City may have left fans delighted with a winning Champions League Group E start but highlighted their need to improve their finishing after missing a string of clear chances.

Last season’s Bundesliga striker Robert Lewandowski, brought in to boost their frontline, has yet to score in a competitive game for the Bavarians and on Wednesday the Poland international had his own share of missed opportunities.

“We are happy with the winning start and the three points but obviously we could have scored much earlier and it may have turned out to be an easier game than it was,” said captain Philipp Lahm.

Bayern needed a 90th minute goal from defender Jerome Boateng after they saw City keeper Joe Hart deny them on several occasions despite dominating the game and having close to 60 per cent possession.

Lionel Messi set up Barcelona’s only goal in a 1-0 win over Cypriot club APOEL on Wednesday for an uninspiring Champions League debut for coach Luis Enrique in Group F.

Messi picked out Gerard Pique with a free kick and the defender headed in the hosts’ solitary goal in the 28th minute at Camp Nou.

In the other Group F match, Paris Saint-Germain was held to a 1-1 at Ajax after Lasse Schone scored from a 74th-minute free kick to cancel out an early goal by PSG’s Edinson Cavani.

AMMAN — Week 2 of the 63rd Jordan Professional League kicks off this weekend. Week 1 found 13-time titleholders Wihdat beating Sarih 2-0 to top the standings. They will next play Ahli, who are back among the top clubs and held Jazira 0-0 last week. Faisali, who were runners-up, held 1-1 by Ittihad Ramtha and will need to regroup ahead of playing Hussein, who held Baqaa 1-1. Jordan Cup titleholders That Ras, who finished fourth last season, lost to Ramtha 1-0 and next play former champs Shabab Urdun, who finished ninth last season. Shabab beat Manshieh 2-1 and are now second. In August, the preliminary round of the Jordan Cup ended as eight teams advanced with Baqaa, Shabab Urdun and Hussein eliminated. The top four teams from each of the two groups moved to the quarters which will see Ahli play Ramtha, That Ras take on Jazira, Wihdat vs. Sarih and Faisali go up against Manshieh.