The decision of Germany not to support the re-election of the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantinonext year is the result of the soccer body’s handling of human rights issues among World Cup hosts, Qatarand his inability to take a position in Iran, the president of the German Football Federation (DFB), Bernd Neuendorf, said on Friday.
Qatar is the first Middle Eastern country chosen by FIFA to host the World Cup, but the small energy-rich country has come under intense pressure over its treatment of foreign workers and tightening social laws.
Neuendorf said the DFB’s decision not to back Infantino, who is set to be re-elected for a third term in March, was because the German federation was “irritated” by a series of World Cup-related issues.
“We made the decision not to endorse Infantino and it wasn’t easy, but at the end of the day that was the decision because we believed we had to make a statement,” Neuendorf told a news conference.
“Infantino already has the support of the continental confederations and his re-election is highly likely. But after his letter two weeks ago that human rights should not play a role and we should focus on football, he annoyed us a lot,” he added. neuendorf. “There are also other things that irritate us about FIFA. The banning of the slogan on the Danish jersey because it said ‘human rights for all’.”
Last week, FIFA rejected the Danish Football Association’s request to train for the World Cup in jerseys with the words “human rights for all.” “Such a slogan is not a political decision that I can make. It is about human rights and they are universal and binding around the world,” Neuendorf said.
He said that as FIFA was quick to ban the Danish request, it remained silent amid protests against Iran. Several Iranian athletes have used the international competition to show their support for the protests that have rocked the country since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in moral police custody in September.
“The very brave women of Iran deserve our support,” Neuendorf said. “The Iranian team has made statements that clearly distance itself from the regime. That is a good sign. FIFA has not taken a position. It has put itself in the case of Denmark but not in Iran. Just don’t ban the jersey of Denmark. Take a position in Iran,” he said.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
