Gianni Infantino awarded Donald Trump with FIFA’s new peace prize(Image: Hector Vivas – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has apologised for making a ‘cheap joke’ about the behaviour of British football fans. Infantino, who’s approaching his 10th anniversary as global football’s head honcho, was criticised last month after saying: “For the first time in history… no Brit was arrested during a World Cup. Imagine! This is something really, really special”.
“I’m a huge fan of English football”, Infantino added. The 55-year-old also said that he’d been wrong to refer to English people who ‘just go and riot around the world’ at football matches as fans, instead labelling them ‘criminals’.
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football’s Facebook page
Infantino also addressed the backlash which FIFA faced after awarding US President Donald Trump with the organisation’s inaugural peace prize. “Whatever we can do to help peace in the world, we should be doing it, and for this reason, for some time we were thinking about [whether] we should do something to reward people who do something,” Infantino explained.
He claimed that Trump ‘objectively’ deserved it. Infantino went on to say: “He was instrumental in resolving conflicts and saving lives and saving thousands of lives.”
Also, Infantino revealed that he’s looking at lifting the ban on Russia competing in FIFA tournaments. Russia’s national sides have been banned by both FIFA and UEFA – European’s football governing body – since 2022 following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Should FIFA lift Russia’s ban? Have your say in the comments section.
“We have to,” he stated. “Definitely… Because this ban has not achieved anything, it has just created more frustration and hatred.”
Furthermore, Infantino is against banning Israel amid the war in Gaza, arguing that doing so would be a ‘defeat’. In addition, he said that FIFA should look to change its rules and ‘enshrine in our statutes that we should actually never ban any country from playing football because of the acts of their political leaders. Somebody needs to keep the ties open.’
Infantino also doesn’t agree with calls to boycott this summer’s World Cup in North America. “I think, in our divided world, in our aggressive world, we need occasions where people can come, can meet around the passion [for football],” he declared.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us – and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
