Qatar World Cup chief Hassan al-Thawadi faced tough questions on Thursday over his gas-rich Gulf state's readiness to host the 2022 tournament.
Al-Thawadi, appearing at a sports business conference in New York, was grilled on everything from corruption allegations dogging Fifa's pick of Qatar to worries that fans will not be able to get enough alcohol at the first Cup in the Middle East.
Al-Thawadi, who helped lead Qatar's bid committee and now oversees a massive building program, sent a message of steely determination as he parried every question.
"We are going to be ready," Al-Thawadi said in an on-stage interview with British public relations executive Henry Chappell. The 40-minute session was part of the "Leaders Sport Business Summit."
"Hopefully with every day that people see progress on the ground, they'll come around to the idea that the 2022 event is a game-changer," he said.
Fifa's selection in December 2010 of Qatar to host the massive month-long football competition has spurred almost incessant grumbling from the international sports world.
Al-Thawadi reiterated that Qatar's winning bid was proper.
"We have always maintained that we have full confidence in the integrity of our bid," Al-Thawadi said on allegations of corruption in the Fifa process.
Al-Thawadi acknowledged there will be less alcohol than usual in 2022, but said fans will still be able to drink.
"Alcohol is available in Qatar, not as easily available as in other parts of the world, but it is available," he said.
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