Outrage at Fifa boss after he slams West and says he feels African, gay and disabled

THE president of Fifa prompted outrage after accusing the West of hypocrisy over Qatar and claiming to feel “gay”, “African” and “disabled”.

Gianni Infantino hit back at critics of the Arab tournament hosts by suggesting Europe should apologise for “3,000 years” of wrongdoing.

“This moral lesson-giving, one-side, is just hypocrisy,” Mr Infantino said at a press conference before today’s opening match.

“Today I have strong feelings. Today I feel Qatari, I feel Arab, I feel African, I feel gay, I feel disabled, I feel a migrant worker.”

Mr Infantino, who lives in Doha and is paid close to £3million a year, later compared his own life story to the plight of migrant workers and LGBT people in Qatar, where homosexuality is punishable by death.

“As a child I was bullied – because I had red hair and freckles, plus I was Italian, so imagine,” he said.

Fifa has been criticised for taking the finals to the Gulf state, where the treatment of migrant workers and LGBT people have been in the spotlight.

Senior Tories last night questioned whether Mr Infantino should keep his job at the top of the world game.

Julian Knight, chairman of the culture select committee, said: “Fifa has clearly got a case of Stockholm Syndrome when it comes to Qatar.

“Infantino deciding to blame the West and come out with some sort of potted history frankly is laughable and is basically him trying to shirk responsibility for their own mess.”

Asked whether Mr Infantino’s position was untenable, he said: “There will be many in the world game who are questioning whether he is the right man to lead it if this is his viewpoint.”

Mr Infantino defended the Qatari royal family’s last-minute decision to ban beer from World Cup stadiums. “I think if for three hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive,” he said.

The England and Wales teams will defy Fifa and wear “OneLove” rainbow armbands despite the sport’s governing body launching its own version on the eve of the tournament. The captains

of all nations were yesterday requested to wear official armbands, with slogans including #SaveThePlanet #NoDiscrimination and #BringTheMoves.

But England and Wales will defy that edict with captains Harry Kane and Gareth Bale set to wear rainbow armbands despite the threat of a Fifa fine. Eric Dier, the England centre-back, said: “As far as I’m aware Harry’s still wearing it and that’s the plan. As I said, that’s just part of our beliefs, our principles.”

Official fan villages expected to house England and Wales supporters appeared to be half finished on the eve of the tournament, with early arrivals complaining of limited access to water.

Thousands were left queuing in sweltering heat outside the main fan zone in Doha after the doors opened late.

Robbie Williams has defended his decision to perform in Qatar.

The singer, 48, told Il Venerdi di Repubblica: “Of course I don’t condone any abuses of human rights. But then if we’re not condoning human rights abuses anywhere it would be the shortest tour the world has ever known. I wouldn’t even be able to perform in my own kitchen.”