World Cup 2022: FIFA chief Gianni Infantino hits out at Qatar criticism

The president of football’s international governing body FIFA says the West should not criticise Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup – adding that European nations should instead apologise for their own histories.

Gianni Infantino said critics were in no position “to give moral lessons to people” at a news conference to mark the opening of the tournament.

The small Middle Eastern nation has come under fire for its treatment of migrant workers and its attitude to LBGTQ+ rights.

The abrupt, eleventh-hour decision by the Qatar authorities to ban the sale of booze at all stadiums has also raised concerns about guarantees given on bigger, more significant issues.

But defending the host nation, Infantino said: “For what we Europeans have been doing around the world in the last 3,000 years we should be apologising for the next 3,000 years before starting to give moral lessons to people.

“How many of these European or Western business companies who earn millions from Qatar, billions, how many of them have addressed migrant workers’ rights with the authorities?

“None of them, because if you change the legislation it means less profit. But we did, and FIFA generates much less than any of these companies from Qatar.”