"On Monday, the worst man in world sport was yet again to be found in the Oval Office, this time nodding along to Trump's declaration that games could be moved from host cities for next summer's World Cup if the US president deems there's a problem with security or that the cities are non-compliant in some other way. In practice, that seems to mean if they're run by a Democrat/communist."
"Amazing that the Fifa president will gladly allow his tournaments to be held in any old violent autocracy but, for the purposes of the White House cameras at least, might need to draw the line at Boston. Honestly, the very sight of Infantino these days causes decades of writing about Fifa to flash before my eyes. How could it have happened?"
"When Sepp Blatter was thrown from a moving gravy train in 2015 amid an explosive corruption scandal, it would have felt like a genuine feat of sporting excellence to have beaten his record for craven awfulness. Tell us: have you bought tickets for the 2026 World Cup yet? And yet here we all are. This year, the Fifa president has been the Forrest Gump of Trump's administration."
Gianni Infantino publicly proclaimed that politics should stay out of football, yet repeatedly appears at high-profile political events alongside Donald Trump. He attended the Oval Office when Trump suggested moving World Cup games over security or non-compliance concerns, implying selective enforcement against Democrat-run cities like Boston. Infantino has prioritised political engagements over FIFA responsibilities, arriving late to FIFA congress and prompting UEFA criticism and a delegate walk-out. He has promoted a new FIFA peace prize to be inaugurated at the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, drawing comparisons to past controversial FIFA leadership and renewed public outrage.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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