Protests over selection of Qatar for football World Cup have come too late

Sir, – It is somewhat bizarre that such a fuss is being made now about Qatar hosting the football World Cup. Qatar was awarded this honour on December 2 2010.

Everyone knew then what the climate of the place was like. I visited it briefly in January 2011 and it was very hot indeed. It was obvious then that the original plan to hold the tournament in summer 2022 was nothing short of mad.

At the same time, it was no secret that foreign workers in Qatar, as in other Gulf states, were treated badly. And it was not only construction workers.

In Abu Dhabi, our driver told us that he could never become a citizen because his parents had been born in Pakistan. And if he lost his job, he could be deported to Pakistan, a country he had never visited.

His daughter could never become a citizen of Abu Dhabi, and he had to pay for her schooling because he and his family were not citizens.

They also, as non-citizens, had to pay for their health care.

It was clear at the time when Qatar was chosen as the 2022 venue that there were serious reservations about the suitability of the place, but they were minimised at the time of selection and ignored until the tournament was imminent.

It is not Fifa’s finest hour.

Jill Stephenson.

Corstorphine,

Edinburgh.