LONDON -- Playing the 2022 World Cup in the searing summer heat of Qatar is "not rational and reasonable," FIFA President Sepp Blatter said in a newspaper interview. Despite health concerns included in an official report before the vote, the FIFA executive committee opted for the tiny emirates bid in 2010. Blatter has repeatedly refused to say if he backed Qatar. "Whether its the right choice, thats up to the executive committee," Blatter said in an interview published Wednesday in French newspaper LEquipe. "The problem is knowing whether it can be played in June-July in Qatar." Air-conditioned stadiums to beat the 50-degree C (122-degree F) heat were a defining theme of Qatars bid, but the cooling technology only resolves the problem in venues for players, fans and officials. "The World Cup is more than just stadiums, its an array of social and cultural activities around the competition," Blatter said. "What do we do? Its not rational and reasonable to play in June-July. "Our technical report, which was available to all the members of the executive committee before the 2010 vote, exposed these difficulties." Without directly criticizing the decision, Blatter said voters were influenced by the pressure to take the World Cup to the Middle East for the first time. "There were interventions at different levels so that it would go to an Arab country," Blatter said. "Geopolitics did its work." FIFA vice-president Michel Platini voted for Qatar but has previously said that it was not due to pressure from then-French President Nicolas Sarkozy. "Before the awarding of a World Cup or Olympic Games, there is a meeting with the politicians," Blatter said. "We had it here in Zurich. They influence the voters. England didnt get the 2018 World Cup and, ever since, there has been a Cold War with FIFA." FIFAs lead ethics prosecutor, Michael Garcia, has been examining allegations about how Russia and Qatar won hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively, after a series of corruption allegations surrounding the bidding process. But Blatter said "nobody proved that there were payoffs so that Qatar was chosen." "The ethics commission can open an investigation," he said. "That would be good to prove that this was done correctly." Blatters own future remains uncertain, with two years until the FIFA presidential elections. The 77-year-old Swiss recently backed away from a 2011 promise that this would be his fourth and final term running FIFA. Now, though, Blatter appears to be endorsing Platini, the former France great who is president of UEFA. "Hes my natural candidate because we have done it all together," Blatter said. "As soon as I took over the presidency (in 1998), he was my technical adviser. Then we built a sporting policy at FIFA. Then he became president of UEFA (in 2007). Its the right track." The pair, though, have clashed on the use of goal-line technology, with Platini against referees being given high-tech aids. And Blatter adds a caveat with his endorsement of Platini, stressing that his support would only be "if he continues in the direction of universal football." Nathan Eovaldi Jersey . The Clippers were angry about blowing a big lead; the Kings didnt like being in that kind of hole and nearly digging themselves out only to lose. Steven Souza Jersey . Its 1987 and a Brazilian playmaker, known as Mirandinha, is being paraded around St James Park to the passionate Newcastle fans. http://www.officialraysgearshop.com/Rays-Blake-Snell-Kids-Jersey/ .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. Dustin McGowan Jersey . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. Evan Longoria Jersey . Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 63 relief appearances for Milwaukee this season. He is 18-20 in his career with three saves and a 3. OAKLAND, Calif. -- In an effort to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of their Bay Area rivals, the San Francisco Giants will buck 40 years of baseball tradition.Giants ace left-hander Madison Bumgarner will start Thursday against the Oakland As at the Oakland Coliseum, and he will bat in place of a designated hitter.Bumgarner will become the first starting pitcher to bat intentionally in place of a designated hitter since Ken Brett did so twice for the Chicago White Sox in 1976. Since the DH rule was adopted by the AL in 1973, the only other pitchers knowingly penciled into the batting order in games at AL parks were the Rangers Ferguson Jenkins in 1974 and the Athletics Ken Holtzman in 1975, according to the San Jose Mercury News.The Tampa Bay Rays were forced to use pitcher Andy Sonnanstine instead of a DH in a 2009 game, but that was due to a lineup-card mistake.Bumgarner, who is hitting .175 (7-for-40) with two homers and five RBI this year, will get to bat against As rookie left-hander Dillon Overton due largely to the Giants lack of right-handed-hitting options. Though he pitches left-handed, Bumgarner bats right-handed.Overton, coming off a win in his major league debut Saturday in Anaheim, is excited to face off with Bumgarner the pitcher.Hes one of the best pitchers in baseball, and Ive watched him for numerous years on TV, and Ive taken some pointers from him, Overton said. It will definitely be special to be able to throw against him. It will be fun.Overton had 28 family members from Oklahoma and Texas cheering him on Saturday due a 7-3 victory against the Los Angeles Angels.It was a thrilling start to his career, even though he allowed solo home runs to Mike Trout, Kole Calhoun and Albert Pujols. Those were the only runs Overton allowed in 5 2/3 innings. Now he gets to make his home debut on a day the As will attempt to complete a sweep of the Giants.Being a home-grown guy in this organization, it will definitely be special to throw here finally in front of our home crowd, Overton said Wednesday.After beating the Giants two times at AT&T Park, the As defeated them 7-1 on Wednesday night at the Coliseum. Beating Bumgarner to cap the sweep wont be easy for Oakland, as he is 8-4 with a 1.99 ERA in his career against the Athletics.Hes been awesome, Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford said of Bumgarner. All of his pitches have been sharp. Hes using the cutter and fastball like always, but hes really been mixing in that curveball and been throwing that really well this year, and I think thats probably the biggest difference.ddddddddddddBumgarner had gone 7-0 with a 1.27 ERA over 10 starts before hitting what for him was a rough patch. He has lost back-to-back starts despite allowing a total of just four runs to the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies in that stretch.After watching his team commit three errors and lose yet another infielder to an injury Wednesday night, Giants manager Bruce Bochy took little solace in the fact that Bumgarner would be on the mound for the series finale.We just have to clean it up, Bochy said. Thats the one thing we were doing very well is catching the ball. You deal with the streaks where you have trouble scoring runs, but the one thing we should be consistent at is catching the ball. Were a pretty good team defensively, and thats gotten away from us.Giants starting second baseman Joe Panik (concussion) went on the seven-day disabled list Wednesday, joining starting third baseman Matt Duffy (left Achilles strain) and backup infielders Kelby Tomlinson (left thumb sprain) and Ehire Adrianza (fractured left foot).Now infielder Ramiro Pena, who started in Paniks place Wednesday, could be headed to the DL. He sprained his left ankle in the third inning in a collision with right fielder Mac Williamson as they pursued a pop fly. Pena, who was charged with an error, stayed in the game until being replaced by a pinch hitter in the fifth.Hes pretty sore, Bochy said. X-rays were negative. Well get an MRI tomorrow. Hes looking at (missing) five to seven days. I think its pretty evident were going to have to get somebody to help out here.Overtons personal rooting section will be decidedly smaller Thursday than it was Saturday, but he still will have six to eight family members at the game.My wifes going to be here, my grandparents will be here and my cousin and uncle will be here, Overton said. And I just found out today my mother-in-law and my wifes grandpa will be here.They should see a much more relaxed pitcher on the mound.Since Ive already had one outing, I think it will be a little easier to not be so star-struck when I go out there this time, said Overton, a second-round pick in 2013 out of the University of Oklahoma. Just easier to stay focused and be ready to do what I need to do. I think it will be fun, and Im looking forward to it. 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