The FIFA president appeared before the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in the company of Arsene Wenger.
The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, said this Wednesday before the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) that on that continent “the World Cup is held twice a week, because the best players in the world are there.”
After proposing a few weeks ago the possibility of holding a biennial World Cup, the top football leader stated that the future depends on “everyone having opportunities and dignity, and not charity”.
Infantino went to the hemicycle of the Palacio de Europa accompanied by Frenchman Arsène Wenger, former Arsenal coach and now FIFA’s director of world football development and in charge of the aforementioned project.
With a soccer ball at the beginning of his speech, Infantino said that “football is moving in a direction in which a few have everything and a large majority have nothing.”
“Football is not just a sport, it is opportunities, it is hope, national teams. It has to do with the country, with the heart, the joy, and we cannot tell the rest of the world to give us the money and the good players, and watch football only on television”, he pointed out.
In this sense, he referred to Africa, stating that “we must give them hope that they do not have to cross the Mediterranean in order to perhaps have a better life.”
Regarding the World Cup in Qatar, he stated that “there are many things to improve, but we must recognize that there have been changes” and denied that 6,500 workers have died in stadium construction: “There have been three and there are too many”.
He highlighted the future creation of an external agency with national and international authorities and sports agencies “to help all the victims in the world in any sports discipline and to benefit from protection.”
Thus, he said, “every girl or boy anywhere in the world has to be able to practice sport in a healthy and safe way.”
“We will continue to push for this new and independent agency to be created,” he said.
After the intervention, the PACE approved a resolution (70 votes in favor and 10 against) in which it asks FIFA to sanction the country that hosts the World Cup if it fails to comply with certain commitments, even withdrawing the headquarters designation to give it to another country.
In particular, respect for the rights of workers, equality between women and men, the protection of minor athletes, guarantee fundamental civil and political rights, prevent risks to human rights, access to effective remedies for human rights violations and dialogue with the authorities to solve eventual problems.
The resolution opposes the European Super League and calls for “stronger financial solidarity” between men’s and women’s football.
It also invites UEFA to review the criteria used for the distribution of Champions League bonuses and reduce the coefficient established based on the performance of the club for ten years, to improve training, education and women’s football. (D)
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