Sometimes it is better to say nothing. There is no defence of the process that delivered Qatar 2022, of the treatment of migrant workers in Qatar, of the antediluvian world view that sees homosexuality as a disease of the mind, of gender inequality in the country. None. No right-minded individual would attempt it but then Gianni Infantino is not of right mind. Or put another way, the part of his mind engaged in his pre-tournament address 24 hours before the World Cup 2022 opener was governed by contract not reason and could not stay mute.
The Fifa president is obliged to speak out in defence of the interests of the organisation he leads, and the nation paying billions to host the tournament. He is bound to dress up the first World Cup in an Arab state as progress. This he does with reformer’s zeal, presenting an alternative reality based on false equivalence whilst feeding the truth to the dogs.
The criticisms levelled at Qatar 2022 by the liberal Western coalition in Europe amounted to hypocrisy, Infantino said, invoking the colonial past of the major powers that made themselves rich on the back of slavery, subjugation and exploitation. Whilst Infantino’s grasp of history is sound enough, his mistake is in not linking Qatar’s labour laws with those ancient European abuses.
Instead he not only applauds Qatar’s treatment of foreign labour, characterising the experience as an opportunity, he upbraids Europe for not offering migrant workers the same life chances. While there were some among the British political establishment who thought shipping migrants to Rwanda a good thing, others shouted it down. Mercifully there is not appetite either to solve labour shortages in the UK with wages of 35p and a day off a month.
To this truth the Infantino defence of Qatar 2022 was oblivious. “We have been taught many lessons from Europeans and the Western world. I am European. For what we have been doing for 3,000 years around the world, we should be apologising for the next 3,000 years before giving moral lessons.
“If Europe really care about the destiny of these people, they can create legal channels – like Qatar did – where a number of these workers can come to Europe to work. Give them some future, some hope. I have difficulties understanding the criticism. We have to invest in helping these people, in education and to give them a better future and more hope. We should all educate ourselves, many things are not perfect but reform and change takes time.”
More from Football
'Steely' Southgate has spent his entire career fighting - this World Cup is no different19 November, 2022
Iran's World Cup fans fear 'thousands of spies': Why England's opener is much more than a game19 November, 2022
Migrant workers who met England players in Qatar were 'too scared to tell the truth'18 November, 2022Infantino’s 54-minute address began with an emotional statement. “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.” All this worthy striving for inclusivity must be exhausting. On he stumbled along the false equivalence route. “I know what it feels to be discriminated. I was bullied because I had red hair.” Who knew the hell of growing up in Switzerland as a child with a ginger top? He must have had to work twice as hard as other white children to gain access to the professional classes.
If that were not wild enough, former Sky News reporter and now Fifa director of media relations, Bryan Swanson, stepped out of his role to address the media personally as a member of the LBGT+ community. “I am sitting here as a gay man in Qatar. We have received assurances that everyone will be welcome and I believe everyone will be.
“Just because he [Infantino] is not gay, does not mean he does not care. He does. You see the public side and I see the private side. I have thought long and hard about whether I should say this. I do feel strongly about it. We care about everyone at Fifa. I have a number of gay colleagues. I am fully aware of the debate and fully respect people’s opinions. When he says we are inclusive. He means it.”
But Bryan we are not talking about Fifa company policy here but the legal intolerance of homosexuality in Qatar. I would advise you not to test the system further. You are already vulnerable to deportation or imprisonment. Well done for speaking out but don’t confuse Infantino’s support with Qatari acceptance. You offend a ruling class wedded to Sharia law and Koranic ideology at your considerable peril.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/0WNcLep
Post a Comment