FIFA president Infantino accuses West of 'hypocrisy' ahead of World Cup

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has hit back at the Western critics, accusing them of "hypocrisy". With social media going berserk with criticism of Qatar and FIFA, Infantino delivered a rousing speech, saying that the Europeans have no right to teach morals to the world.

"I am European. For what we have been doing for 3,000 years around the world, we should be apologising for the next 3,000 years before giving moral lessons," he said. 

"If Europe really cares about the destiny of these people, they can create legal channels - like Qatar did - where a number of these workers can come to Europe to work. Give them some future, some hope.

"I have difficulties understanding the criticism. We have to invest in helping these people, in education and to give them a better future and more hope. We should all educate ourselves, many things are not perfect but reform and change takes time.

"This one-sided moral lesson is just hypocrisy. I wonder why no-one recognises the progress made here since 2016.

"It is not easy to take the critics of a decision that was made 12 years ago. Qatar is ready, it will be the best World Cup ever.

"I don't have to defend Qatar, they can defend themselves. I defend football. Qatar has made progress and I feel many other things as well.

"Of course I am not Qatari, Arab, African, gay, disabled or a migrant worker. But I feel like them because I know what it means to be discriminated against and bullied as a foreigner in a foreign country."

Infantino said  that World Cup fans can survive for three hours a day without beer after sales were banned around stadiums.

"I think personally if for three hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive," he told his opening press conference in Doha. "The same applies in France, Spain, Scotland."

World Cup chiefs on Friday banned beer sales around stadiums in Qatar in a stunning U-turn, just 48 hours before Sunday's kickoff.

Alcohol is largely prohibited in the Islamic nation but the organisers sparked fury from fans with their dramatic late decision.

Football's world governing body FIFA said beer would not be sold to fans around any of the eight World Cup stadiums following discussions with the hosts.

It said beer sales would be focused on fan zones and licensed venues, "removing sales points of beer from Qatar's FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium perimeters".

It gave no reason for the surprise decision but media reports said there had been an intervention by Qatar's ruling family.

Dozens of Budweiser beer tents had already been set up at grounds ahead of the first game.