Infantino defends Qatar World Cup: Today I feel Qatari, I feel gay, I feel disabled

In a news conference in Doha on the eve of the

kicking off, Gianni Infantino defended the Qatar World Cup from western criticism and even claimed that Europe should apologise for past mistakes.

Qatar has been criticised by the western media over its human rights record, and treatment of migrant workers and the LGBTQ+ community. The Guardian reported in 2021 that 6,500 migrant workers had lost their lives in Qatar,

Infantino began his speech by saying:

"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. Of course I am not Qatari, I am not an Arab, I am not African, I am not gay, I am not disabled. But I feel like it, because I know what it means to be discriminated, to be bullied, as a foreigner in a foreign country, as a child at school I was bullied because I had red hair and freckles."

"What is sad is that especially in the last weeks, we have been assisting in some places a real lesson of moral, of double moral [standards],"

Infantino said.

"We are told to make many lessons from some Europeans, from the western world. I'm European. I think for what we Europeans have been doing for 3,000 years around the world, we should be apologising for the next 3,000 years before starting to give moral lessons to people.

"How many of these European companies who earn millions and millions form Qatar or other countries in the region -- billions every year -- how many of them have addressed migrant worker rights? I have the answer: none of them because if they change the legislation it means less profits.

"But we did. And FIFA generated much, much, much less than any of these companies, from Qatar.

"We see here as well many government representatives coming from Qatar. I don't have to defend Qatar in any way whatsoever, they can defend themselves. I am defending football here, and injustice.

"If there was no gas, nobody would care. But now they all come and they all want something. Who is actually caring about the workers? FIFA does. Football does, the World Cup does and to be fair to them, Qatar does as well.”

FIFA president also said European countries could learn from Qatar and improve their immigration policy.

He said:

"Where are we going with our way of working, guys? Where is the world going? If you go two steps back and you look at this issue of migration and their situation of hundreds of thousands of women and men who would like to offer their services who would like to help and give a future to their families back home, Qatar is actually offering them this opportunity.

"Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers, they help their families to survive. And they do it in a legal way. We in Europe, we close our borders and we don't allow practically any workers from these countries to work legally in our country. We all know there are many illegal workers in our European countries, living conditions which are also not really the best.

"Those who reach Europe, those who want to go to Europe, they have to go through a very difficult journey. Only a few survive. So if you would really care about the destiny of these people, these young people, then Europe could also do as Qatar did: create some legal channels where at least a number of these workers could come to Europe, lower revenues, but give them some work, give them some future, give them some hope.

"This doesn't mean that we shouldn't point that doesn't work here in Qatar as well. Of course, there are things that don't work and need to be addressed. But this moral lesson giving, one-sided, it is just hypocrisy.”

Infantino insisted that everybody is welcome in Qatar including the LGBTQ+ community.

"They've confirmed that I can confirm that everyone is welcome,"

Infantino said.

"If the odd person here or there says the opposite, it's not the opinion of the country and it's certainly not the opinion of FIFA. This a clear FIFA requirement, that everyone is to be welcome.

"Everyone who comes to Qatar is welcome, whatever religion, race, sexual orientation, belief she or he has, everyone is welcome. This was our requirement and the Qatari state sticks to that requirement.

"You will tell me: 'Yes, but there are legislations which prohibit that, or whatever, you have to go to jail'. Yes, these legislations exist. They exist in many countries in the world. These legislation existed in Switzerland when they organised the World Cup in 1954. Like for the workers, these are processes.”

FIFA announced on Friday that Alcohol was banned in stadiums and Infantino said that was a joint decision between Qatar and FIFA.

"If this is the biggest issue we have for the World Cup, I will sign immediately and go to the beach and relax until 18th of December.

"Let me first assure you that every decision taken at this World Cup is a joint decision between Qatar and FIFA. Every decision. It is discussed, debated and taken jointly. There will be over 200 places where you can buy alcohol in Qatar.

"Over 10 fanzones where over 100,000 can simultaneously drink alcohol. I think personally, if for three hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive, especially because actually the same rules apply in France or Spain or in Portugal, or in Scotland. No beer is allowed in the stadiums.

"Here it becomes a big thing because it is a Muslim country. I don't know why. We tried. It's the one I give you of course, a late change of policy. Because we tried until the end to see if it was possible. But one thing is to have plans and designs and another thing is when you start putting it in place.

"You look at the flows of the people, look at their safety going in and out, going to attend different matches. This is something at this World Cup that is new in that respect."

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