While FIFA are looking at vanity projects, they’re ignoring violence, racism & discrimination

THUGS of whatever nationality were laying into English police at Wembley while, over in Albania, a game was being stopped because a goalscorer and his team-mates had been pelted with bottles and other missiles.

And what, coincidentally, was Gianni Infantino up to? Suggesting Israel and Palestine might jointly hold a World Cup.

Seriously. It is hard to know where to start with that one.

If you think FIFA have long since lost the plot, it is no wonder.

Their leaders get so dizzy with power, they start believing it is their gig to deliver world peace.

It happened to Sepp Blatter, in a big way. He was after a Nobel Peace Prize and Vladimir Putin actually championed him for one, which tells you all you need to know.

Infantino (top) seems to have gone full Blatter. The signs were there, early doors, when he came up with the ‘Legends’ idea.

That was basically just him getting to play football with the likes of Paolo Maldini, Marco van Basten, Carles Puyol and the late Diego

Maradona. For charity, of course.

No sort of vanity project, whatsoever.

It seems when you are the top man at FIFA, you think you are on a par with the most powerful people on the world. And considering the role football plays in global life, perhaps you are.

Schmoozing with world leaders appears to be part of the job and Infantino has shown a penchant for it.

It was not that long ago when he was having a cosy sit-down with the pride of Newcastle and Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman.

While the access to these sorts of people, and the associated fame of mixing with former greats, might intoxicate FIFA leaders, there is no doubt it is part of the job.

If you are organising a World Cup in Russia, probably best to speak to the country’s president.

But the job of FIFA – along with UEFA and all the national associations – is to ensure the smooth running of the game and to keep it safe for people to take part in and watch.

If the evidence of recent times is anything to go by, the spectre of violence, racism and discrimination is returning.

You could name a dozen international games over the past couple of years that have been blighted by hooliganism or racism or homophobia or generally rank anti-social behaviour.

It is not only international football which has been troubled. There have been countless instances of violent disruption in club football.

Is the sort of violence – much of it rooted in right-wing ideology and racism – that many of us have seen in the past poisoning football again?

That might be overdramatising matters. But what is for sure is the fight against its return – if it has ever been away – is far more of a priority than organising a biennial World Cup.

Which is why FIFA, UEFA and the national associations have to get tougher.

Don’t worry about the injustices of deducting points or expelling teams. The real crime will be if the likes of FIFA effectively stand by and allows the racists, the bigots, the thugs, to re-establish a hideous foothold in the game.

And when he is not grandstanding and seeing himself as some sort of major statesman, Infantino needs to remember that.