Qatar “happy to settle” for darts world cup if FIFA thing doesn’t work out

DOHA: With football’s world governing body under pressure to annul Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup, sources have revealed the gas-rich Gulf state would be willing to lower its sporting aspirations if necessary.

According to an article in Buzzfeed Middle East, Qatari Sporting Authorities would be happy settle on smaller international events should FIFA’s decision see the tournament hosted elsewhere.

“To be honest, with all the bad press we’ve been getting we’d be glad of anything really,” an insider told the news website. “Snooker, Scrabble, darts… we’d definitely be happy to hold the darts world cup if the FIFA thing didn’t work out.”

The source later suggested that, were Qatar to host the international darts tournament, the country would build 12 dedicated open-air darts stadiums, each with an 80,000 capacity and featuring state-of-the-art outdoor cooling technology.

Dart’s international governing body the World Darts Federation has since admitted to being “gravely concerned” about Qatar’s strict alcohol licensing laws and the effect of its extreme summer temperatures on the sport’s mostly obese fanbase.