"Whilst these things may be said in jest, it is neither helpful or accurate to make this sort of comment. For the record, 'British' fans behaving at World Cups is the norm, not something special. In Qatar [there were] no arrests of English or Welsh fans, in Russia -- three England fans were arrested for very minor offences. [In] Brazil -- 15 arrests -- of which seven were [ticket] touts - and South Africa [saw] seven arrests for minor matters."
"Infantino spoke about the Qatar World Cup as he sought to allay fears around the staging of this summer's finals in North America, in particular the United States where domestic tensions are high. He said there had been "a lot of critics" of the Qatar finals, but added: "When the ball started rolling and the magic started, we had virtually no incidents. "For the first time in history also, no Brit was arrested during a World Cup. Imagine! This is something really, really special.""
Gianni Infantino joked at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Qatar 2022 was special because 'no Brit was arrested', while seeking to allay fears about staging this summer's finals in North America amid US domestic tensions. Chief Constable Mark Roberts said the remark, even in jest, was neither helpful nor accurate and stressed British fans behaving at World Cups is the norm. He cited no arrests of English or Welsh fans in Qatar, three arrests in Russia, 15 in Brazil (seven ticket touts) and seven in South Africa. The Football Supporters' Association urged Infantino to prioritise cheap tickets over jokes. FIFA has been contacted for comment.
Read at ESPN.com
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