Television crews filming the Qatar World Cup were reportedly told that they had to capture FIFA president Gianni Infantino at least once at every game, but they couldn't screen footage of him on his phone.
The Times report that the Swiss-based Host Broadcast Service - the crew used by FIFA for World Cup matches, and the company whose original footage would then be used by BBC and ITV - were sent emailed orders over the level and type of coverage of Infantino that was expected.
They were told to obey three rules when screening footage of Infantino and whomever he was sitting next to as his guest, with the FIFA president attending all 64 matches at last November and December's tournament, at least in part.
There were TV match directors for every single game in Qatar, and they were responsible for choosing which camera shots to use during the matches from the vast array available.
The three rules match directors were obliged to follow were:
- Infantino had to be featured at least once during every game he was attending, which ended up being all of them
- Match directors were not allowed to use any footage of the FIFA president when he was on his phone
- If the Swiss was sitting next to a sheikh at a match then no pictures of the pair below the knee could be shown, owing to cultural sensitivities
The Times report adds that there was "at least one incident" of a match director screening footage of Infantino when he was on his phone, which led to a dressing down for the director responsible.
Infantino was a frequently seen figure throughout world football's month in Qatar, and he sparked fury with his speech before the tournament began when he dismissed fears over the country's human rights record and their oppression of minorities, including LGBTQ+ people.
In front of a room of stunned members of the media, Infantino said: "Today I have strong feelings. Today I feel Qatari, I feel Arab, I feel African, I feel gay, I feel disabled, I feel 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, 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. I went in my room and I cried.
"I feel for the FIFA and Supreme Committee staff. They want to deliver here. I am proud to have this FIFA sign on my jacket. It will be the best World Cup ever. Qatar is ready."
