disgraceful.

russia doesn't have : the stadia, the transport infrastructure, experience, accomodation, any credibility on technical or economical grounds.

russia does have : vast distances between venues, a national government in the pocket of organised crime, high levels of violence against foreign visitors, the support of blatter as he strives to embellish his 'legacy to football', loads of oligarchs willing to offer bribes to the shit stain on the doggers of football that is FIFA.

ditto Qatar (except distances - don't know where they are on the fundamentalist spectrum)

Putin is said to be flying to Zurich tonight.
Presumingly to personally hand out the brown envelopes.

Are my grapes too sour.

not if you drop em in your bitter lemon

The only thing going in my bitter lemmon is the gin