Defending the FIFA World Cup 2022 hosts, Qatar, FIFA president Giani Infantino delivered an almost hour-long tirade on the eve of the marquee event.
Accusing the west of hypocrisy, Infantino slammed the Qatar critics who were calling out the host nation for their human rights record. 'I'm European. Actually, I am European, not just I feel European. I think for what we Europeans have been doing in the last 3000 years around the world, we should be apologizing for the next 3000 years before starting to give moral lessons to people', the FIFA boss said who will return to office unopposed for re-election as FIFA president in March.
Qatar has been extensively criticized for laws that criminalise homosexuality, freedom for women, and laws that do not offer citizenship to migrants. Infantino, however, dismissed all of it and questioned, 'What about Europe?'. He, on the other hand, defended the country’s immigration policy and praised the government for bringing in migrants to work.
Infantino said, 'Well, Qatar is actually offering them this opportunity. Hundreds of thousands of workers from developing countries come here. They earn ten times more than what they earn in their home country
In support of the LGBTQI+ community, he argued, 'How many gay people were prosecuted in Europe'
He also fired away European and North American countries that he said did not open their borders to welcome soccer-playing girls and women that FIFA and Qatar worked to help leave Afghanistan last year.
The FIFA head also extended his support to Qatar's last-minute Beer ban in stadiums by saying, 'If for 3 hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive' He went on to say that the decision was taken jointly by Qatar officials and FIFA.