DOHA, Qatar — FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said players should “respect football” and not protest on the pitch because fans want to forget their problems during matches.
Multiple human rights groups have expressed concerns about the treatment of migrant workers and LGBTQ+ people in Qatar, leading to participating teams facing increased pressure to use their voice to highlight issues of discrimination and abuse.
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Seven countries competing in Qatar committed to wearing a ‘OneLove’ armband but backed down at the last minute after FIFA threatened the captains with on-field sanctions that included a yellow card at kickoff.
Germany’s players covered their mouths during a team photo ahead of their group stage match against Japan, and England took a knee before all five of their matches, although that was an anti-discrimination gesture not specifically introduced in relation to issues in Qatar.
Speaking at his closing World Cup news conference on Friday, Infantino said: “As FIFA we have to take care of everyone. We are a global organisation, we do not have to discriminate anyone based on whatever legislation, whatever regime, whatever values and feelings they have.
“It’s not about prohibiting or not prohibiting. It’s about respecting regulations; we have regulations which say on the field of play, you play football, and that’s what we did.
“Everyone is free to express his views, his opinion, his beliefs, the way he believes, as long as it’s done in a respectful way.
“When it comes to the pitch, to the field of play, you need to respect football, you need to respect the field of play, and these regulations are exactly there for this reason. This is nothing new; they are there for this reason to respect and to protect the 211 football teams, not 211 heads of states, regimes, or what have you.
