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Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s recent jibe about British football fans at the Qatar World Cup has been dismissed as "neither helpful nor accurate" by the UK’s lead for football policing.
Mr Infantino, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, claimed the 2022 Qatar finals were unique because "no Brit was arrested".
This comment was made while he attempted to ease concerns regarding the upcoming North American finals, particularly in the United States, where domestic tensions are high.
He stated that despite "a lot of critics" of the Qatar tournament, "When the ball started rolling and the magic started, we had virtually no incidents. For the first time in history also, no Brit was arrested during a World Cup. Imagine! This is something really, really special."
However, Chief Constable Mark Roberts, who leads football policing for the National Police Chiefs’ Council, strongly refuted the FIFA president's remarks.
He told the Press Association: "Whilst these things may be said in jest, it is neither helpful or accurate to make this sort of comment. For the record, ‘British’ fans behaving at World Cups is the norm, not something special."
Mr Roberts provided data to support his assertion, highlighting that "In Qatar (there were) no arrests of English or Welsh fans, in Russia – three England fans were arrested for very minor offences. (In) Brazil – 15 arrests – of which seven were touts – and South Africa (saw) seven arrests for minor matters."
He concluded by stating: "Given the high number of fans who travel and pay a lot of money to get to World Cups, there are many, many other countries who are more problematic for hosts."
The Football Supporters’ Association also weighed in on Thursday, suggesting Mr Infantino should prioritise providing affordable tickets over making "cheap jokes at fans’ expense." FIFA has been approached for comment regarding the matter.
