Gianni Infantino finally breaks his silence, while Qatar, host country of the World Cup which will begin this Sunday, November 20, undergoes a wave of attacks from the Western media on the background of human rights issues.
“Those who criticize the World Cup are hypocrites,” retorted the FIFA president at a press conference on Saturday, the day before the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador at the Lusail stadium in Doha.
“What is happening right now is deeply, deeply unfair,” Infantino said, assuring that he felt “Qatari”, “Arab”, “African”, “gay”, “disabled” all at the same time. migrant worker”… A clear and direct reaction to several countries, selections and Western media which point the finger at the “violation” of workers’ rights and the non-respect of individual freedoms, in particular those of homosexuals, in Qatar.
“For what we Europeans have done for the past 3,000 years, we should apologize for the next 3,000 years before giving moral lessons to others. These moral lessons are just hypocrisy,” he said. he asserted.
Mr. Infantino also set fire to the “rumors” circulating in certain European countries, according to which “false supporters” from Asia support certain teams participating in the World Cup on the spot. “It’s pure racism. Everyone in the world has the right to encourage whoever they want.”
Designated in 2010 to host the 2022 World Cup, Qatar has since suffered harsh criticism, which intensified even more a few weeks before the opening: accusations of corruption, criticism of the environmental impact, human rights, in particular those of people LGBTQ+ and migrant workers – including those who worked on World Cup sites.
Qatar is the first Arab country to organize this event, and the leaders of the rich gas emirate no longer hide their anger at the flood of criticism, denouncing “racism”.
Arabs in Toronto is a portal dedicated to inform the Arab community in Toronto. Concerned about providing information, this digital media is the first to provide a range of information and practices dedicated to community services.