The Fifa president has accused Europe of “hypocrisy” and “racism” and said that the West should not criticise Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup – adding that European nations should instead apologise for their own histories.
“Today I feel Qatari,” says Infantino. “Today I feel Arab. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel a migrant worker.” said Gianni Infantino adding that “What we Europeans have done for the last 3000 years, we should still be apologising for the next 3000 years before starting to give moral lessons.”
Infantino added: “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.
“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.”
During an extraordinary 57 minute monologue earlier this morning Infantino also told the Press Conference that “I think personally if for three hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive,”
World Cup chiefs on Friday banned beer sales around stadiums in Qatar, just 48 hours before Sunday’s kickoff.
Alcohol is largely prohibited in the Islamic nation but the organisers sparked fury from fans with their dramatic late decision.
FIFA Director of Media Relations Bryan Swanson ends press conference by saying that as a gay man he knows Gianni Infantino cares about everybody: “You see the public face, I see the private side”
