[WORLD CUP 2018/22 BIDS] Qatari Mohamed Bin Hammam, the Asian soccer confederation president, responded to criticism that his country, bidding to host the 2022 World Cup, is too hot in the summer by saying the everyone forgets just how hot it was at USA '94.

Bin Hammam's response to fellow FIFA executive committee member Chuck Blazer's criticism came after the American said, "You can air condition a stadium, but I don't see how you can air-condition an entire country."

The heat was one of the factors in the "high-risk operational rating" Qatar received from FIFA inspectors.

Bin Hammam said Qatar had addressed the heat issue and then noted the heat was an issue in the United States.

"When my counterpart asked me about my response to the news that my country's bid was once more criticized due to Qatar's hot weather and the danger it may contribute toward players' and officials' health, I reminded him of two things:

"One: the technological developments and solutions that Qatar would apply to its stadiums in order to overcome the challenges of the heat.

"Two: whether or not he remembers the 1994 World Cup in the United States, where some of the matches were played in mid-day in temperatures as high as 50 degrees [122 degrees Fahrenheit]."

"When he told me that he remembers, I asked him whether or not anyone had criticized the U.S. for putting the players' and officials' health in danger.

"On the contrary, even the American fans forgot about the heat, and, yet, applied for another World Cup posting in less than 16 years from the time they last hosted."

"Forgetfulness is bliss!”

Heat was not mentioned as an issue in the USA's inspection report.

Several of the large stadiums in the U.S. bid have retractable roofs, making the heat less of an issue than it was in 1994.