The head of world football told the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg that the sport is currently going
“in a direction where a few have everything and the vast majority have
nothing”.
“I understand in Europe the World Cup takes place twice per
week because the best players are playing in Europe,” said Infantino.
“But if we think about the rest of the world… which doesn’t
see the best players, which doesn’t participate in the top competitions, then
we have to think about what football brings, which goes beyond the sport.”
The idea of a World Cup every two years, rather than every
four as it has been since 1930, has faced a hostile reception from the European
and South American federations as well as the big clubs. But it enjoys the
unanimous support among the 54 African federations.
“We need to include them, we need to find ways to include
the entire world, to give hope to Africans so that they don’t need to cross the
Mediterranean in order to find maybe a better life, but more probably death in
the sea.
“We need to give opportunities, and we need to give dignity,
not by giving charity but by allowing the rest of the world as well to
participate.”
His comments were swiftly criticised on social media.
“My colleagues at Human Rights Watch interview refugees
around the world pretty much every day. We write reports about the reasons —
the abuses, the hardships — that forced them to leave their homes. They never
mention the timing of World Cup tournaments,” tweeted Andrew Stroehlein, media
director at HRW.
Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters
Europe, was equally dismissive.
“How low can Infantino go? Instrumentalising death in the
Mediterranean to sell his megalomaniac plan is beyond words,” he tweeted.
That gave rise to a clarification by Infantino in a
statement sent to AFP.
“Given that certain remarks made by me before the Council of
Europe earlier today appear to have been misinterpreted and taken out of
context, I wish to clarify that… my more general message was that everyone in a
decision-making position has a responsibility to help improve the situation of
people around the world,” said Infantino.
“If there are more opportunities available, including in
Africa, but certainly not limited to that continent, this should allow people
to take these opportunities in their own countries.
“This was a general comment, which was not directly related
to the possibility of playing a World Cup every two years.”
AFP
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