Infantino’s wild address prompts ridicule
SO MUCH for focusing on the football.
In his wild address to the world’s media to open football’s showpiece event, FIFA president Gianni Infantino did little – if anything – to dispel the concerns that have plagued the Qatar tournament or enhance the excitement for the on-pitch action at this World Cup.
If anything, he simply cemented the view that the world’s governing body for football is stuck in the dark ages, with its head in the sand and boasting little enthusiasm to ever change.
For months – years, even – Infantino and FIFA have hoped that the issues surrounding their controversial decision to award the World Cup to Qatar would dissipate; that the football would take over and steal the spotlight.
But with a remarkable speech that will go down in history, largely for reasons other than those Infantino intended, he ensured that whatever happens in the next six weeks, the on-field results will always be secondary when this World Cup is remembered.
Perhaps that was always going to be the case.
Two weeks ago, when Infantino and secretary-general Fatma Samoura sent a formal letter to the football federations of all competing nations urging them to “focus on the football”, in a desperate bid to drive the narrative away from the social and human rights issues which have plagued Qatar’s 12-year build up to this tournament.
The message – a more longwinded version of ‘shut up and dribble’ – went down like a lead balloon to many of the 32 countries who will fight for the priceless gold trophy over the coming six weeks.
The likes of the USA, who unveiled a rainbow-themed logo at their training centre, and Denmark, through coach Kasper Hjulmand who declared the Danes ‘will not be silenced’ on human rights issues, clearly took little notice of it.
And it seems neither did Infantino.
Because, barely 24 hours out from the game between the host nation and Ecuador, Infantino stole back the spotlight for himself and opened FIFA up for ridicule once more.