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FIFA president, Gianni Infantino has launched an expletive tirade against Western critics of the world cup in Qatar, on the eve of the tournament, in which he accused the west of moral hypocrisy.
In what was supposed to be a 45-minute Q&A with the media in Doha before Sunday’s opening game, Infantino delivered a rambling monologue that lasted nearly an hour in which he steadfastly defended Qatar’s migrant workers policy and labelled those saying there were ‘paid fake fans’ in Qatar as racist.
This tournament will be a historic event, the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East, with controversy surrounding the build-up focusing on human rights, the death of migrant workers, LGBTQ and women’s rights.
In the press conference Infantino seemed exhausted while trying to defend FIFA’s decision in 2010 to award the World Cup to Qatar. A controversial decision made when he wasn’t the governing body’s president.
“We are taught many lessons from Europeans, from the Western world,” he said, referring to criticisms of Qatar’s human rights record.
“What we Europeans have been doing for the last 3,000 years, we should be apologizing for the next 3,000 years before starting to give moral lessons.”
Infantino, an Italian said he knew what it felt like to be discriminated against, saying he was bullied as a child for having red hair and freckles.
“Today I feel Qatari. Today I feel Arab. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel a migrant worker,” he said, in front of a stunned audience.
“I feel this, all this, because what I’ve been seeing and what I’ve been told, since I don’t read, otherwise I would be depressed I think.
“What I’ve seen brings me back to my personal story. I am a son of migrant workers. My parents were working very very hard in difficult situations.”
Infantino said progress had been made in Qatar on a range of issues, but insisted real change took time, adding that FIFA would not leave the country after the tournament finished.
“We need to invest in education, to give them a better future, to give them hope. We should all educate ourselves,” he said.
“Reform and change takes time. It took hundreds of years in our countries in Europe. It takes time everywhere, the only way to get results is by engaging […] not by shouting.”
In a FIFA statement issued on Friday, the governing body said alcohol would be sold at fan zones and licensed venues.
The Muslim country is considered to be very conservative and tightly prohibits sale of alcohol
“Let me first assure you that every decision that is taken in this World Cup is a joint decision between Qatar and FIFA,” he said. “Every decision is discussed, debated and taken jointly.”
“There will be […] over 200 places where you can buy alcohol in Qatar and over 10 fan zones, where over 100,000 people can simultaneously drink alcohol.
“I think personally, if for three hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive.”
“Especially because actually the same rules apply in France or in Spain or in Portugal or in Scotland, where no beer is allowed in stadiums now,” he added.
“It seems to become a big thing because it’s a Muslim country, or I don’t know why.”
Homosexuality in Qatar is illegal and punishable by up to three years in prison, but the FIFA president promised that this was a tournament for everyone.
“Let me mention as well, the LGBT situation. I have been speaking about this topic with the highest leadership of the country several times, not just once. They have confirmed, and I can confirm, that everyone is welcome,” Infantino said.
“This is a clear FIFA requirement. Everyone has to be welcomed, everyone that comes to Qatar is welcome whatever religion, race, sexual orientation, belief she or he has. Everyone is welcome. This was our requirement and the Qatari state sticks to that requirement,” Infantino said.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino says the West is in no position ‘to give moral lessons’ to Qatar, adding that European nations should instead apologise for their own histories.
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— Sky News (@SkyNews) November 19, 2022
