FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has spoken up about what he has dubbed as the “hypocrisy” of European and Western nations for dwelling on negative stories around the World Cup despite their chequered past.
Reacting to Qatar authorities’ ban on alcohol, which had caused uproar on social media, FIFA president said football fans going to matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup “will survive” if they’re not allowed to have alcohol.
Infantino stated this on Saturday during a press conference to usher in the World Cup in Doha, Qatar.
Citing similar laws in some European countries, Infantino backed the decision of the Arab nation.
“I think personally if for three hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive. The same applies in France, Spain, Scotland,” he said.
Qatar, accused of buying the World Cup hosting rights, has also been in the news over alleged poor conditions of migrant workers, a situation Infantino described as media fantasies.
Infantino, an Italian national, tore into the “hypocrisy” of European and Western nations for dwelling on negative stories around the World Cup despite their chequered past.
“I am European. For what we have been doing for 3,000 years around the world, we should be apologising for the next 3,000 years before giving moral lessons,” he said.
“If Europe really cares about the destiny of these people, they can create legal channels – like Qatar did – where a number of these workers can come to Europe to work. Give them some future, some hope.
“I have difficulties understanding the criticism. We have to invest in helping these people, in education and to give them a better future and more hope. We should all educate ourselves, many things are not perfect but reform and change take time.
“This one-sided moral lesson is just hypocrisy. I wonder why no one recognises the progress made here since 2016.”