Bach: No World Cup-Winter Olympics clash in 2022

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach insists there will be no clash between the Winter Olympics and FIFA World Cup in 2022.

With the World Cup in eight years’ time to be held in Qatar, there have been concerns that the extreme heat in the country during the months of June and July could cause problems.

That has led to the suggestion the tournament could be moved to January and February, which could potentially clash with the 2022 Winter Olympics – for which the host country is yet to be decided.

But Bach insists he has had assurances from FIFA president Sepp Blatter that such a situation will not arise.

“I have no reason not to believe [him],” he told the BBC.

“He made it very clear that a clash of these two great events is in nobody’s interest.

“And therefore his clear commitment was, and is, that there will not be such a clash.

“A clash would be bad for the international audience who would have two major sports programmes broadcast worldwide, so the public’s attention would be divided.

“Also for the sponsors, there are some that are common to FIFA and the IOC.

“To manage these two kind of programmes at the same time would be very difficult, so in the end there would be no winners.

“The athletes and the players would not get the attention they deserve, and for all the other sponsors and broadcasters being involved it would be very, very difficult to manage.

“It’s in the mutual interest that this is not happening and we have this commitment.”