FIFA president Gianni Infantino has sparked a a storm in the desert ahead of the World Cup by bizarrely claiming he knows all about life-altering discrimination due to growing up with red hair.
The game’s global governing body has been slaughtered for the decision to take the finals to Qatar, where the treatment of migrant workers and the rights of LGBTQ+ people have been condemned by human rights campaigners. If decision makers were hoping for serene before the big kick-off then Infantino had other ideas as his words caused instant shock and did little to quell resentment over the decision to host the tournament in Qatar.
Speaking on Saturday, Infantino said: “Today I feel Qatari. Today I feel Arabic. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel [like] a migrant worker. Of course I am not Qatari, I am not an Arab, I am not African, I am not gay, I am not disabled. But I feel like it, because I know what it means to be discriminated [against], to be bullied, as a foreigner in a foreign country. “As a child I was bullied – because I had red hair and freckles, plus I was Italian so imagine. What do you do then? You try to engage, make friends. Don’t start accusing, fighting, insulting, you start engaging. And this is what we should be doing.”
And Infantino couldn't resist some more drama as he told the assembled media he had shoulders strong enough to deal solely with the world's gaze. The FIFA chief said: "If you need to criticise anybody, don’t put pressure on the players, the coaches. You want to criticise. You can crucify me. I’m here for that. Don’t criticise anyone. Don’t criticise Qatar. Let people enjoy this World Cup.”
And ahead of the opening game of the tournament on Sunday, Infantino wasn't in the mood to back down, as he added: “We have told many, many lessons from some Europeans, from the western world.
“I think for what we Europeans have been doing the last 3,000 years we should be apologising for next 3,000 years before starting to give moral lessons to people.”
