FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has sparked outrage after branding critics of World Cup hosts Qatar “racists” and “hypocrites”.
In a bizarre 56-minute rant, he yesterday accused the West of essentially “spitting” on the Arab country by distorting its human rights record.
And he claimed it was Euro peans who should be apologising for their colonialism over the past 3,000 years.
Last night MPs, celebrities and campaigners reacted with fury to the tirade, which they dubbed “idiotic” and “divisive”.
A senior government source accused him of making excuses for FIFA awarding the tournament to the desert despots and said: “This is the clearest sign yet that FIFA has lost the plot.”
Mr Infantino’s diatribe came barely 24 hours before the start of a tournament that has been mired in controversy since the decision was announced in 2010.
Qatar has been under fire over its treatment of migrant workers drafted in to build the venues and, last week, its morality sheikhs stunned fans by imposing an alcohol ban in stadiums.
But instead of tackling the issues, the FIFA president lashed out at critics, and blamed “hypocrite” countries such as Britain for not accepting more migrants. Journalists listened open-mouthed as he said he felt “disabled, gay and like a migrant worker” after being bullied for his red hair and freckles as a child.
Swiss-Italian Mr Infantino, 52, said: “We have been taught many lessons from Europeans and the western world.
This story is from the November 20, 2022 edition of Sunday Express.
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This story is from the November 20, 2022 edition of Sunday Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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