“A disgrace to Upper Valais”

Oberwallis was once proud of his son Gianni Infantino (52). The “Walliser Bote” headlined in 2016 after FIFA crowned the Briger native as the new pope of world football: “We are Fifa”, and Brig’s mayor announced a free night. Half of the canton wore Infantino on their hands, some people drank their feet. “Ä Wallisr” – “ä Brigr”: The world famous football official was one of them.

But that’s over now. Last Monday the “Walliser Bote” headlined: “You should be ashamed of Upper Valais.” Behind the mountains, the readers hammered the keys: “A shame for the Oberwallis” and: “Please stay in Qatar.” Former State Councilor Thomas Burgener (68) reacted zealously.

The reason for the uproar is Infantino’s speech in Qatar. A day before the start of the World Cup, the FIFA boss sat in front of the microphone and took a deep breath: “Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel like a guest worker.” The world was amazed. And promptly responded with a shitstorm. That was a “bizarre angry speech”, a “catastrophe”, a “crazy speech” was said by the majority in the media. The social networks were ridiculed every second: “Infantino is about as gay as he is honest,” said comedian Mike Müller (59).

Designer items instead of hiking boots

Infantino’s parents came to Upper Valais from Italy in the 1960s as guest workers. The mother ran a kiosk at the Brig train station, the father laid rails for the SBB. They lived in modest circumstances, as Infantino liked to point out in interviews some time ago. He was considered a “Büezerbueb” who reached the top of world football.

In his “anger speech”, Infantino recalled his biography. He emphasized how hard the parents had to work, how difficult the living conditions were, how badly they were treated as foreigners. That is why he can sympathize with the guest workers in Qatar, many of whom lost their lives during the construction of the World Cup stadiums. Many saw this as a cynical justification for the human rights record in the desert state. However, the intransigent people at the foot of the Simplon took this as an insult.

For example, former State Councilor Burgener. In his garden, against the background of the Alps, the Social Democrat took revenge on “Wallisertitsch”: “A cheek! That shows how submissive Infantino is. He allows himself to be used by the Qataris.”

He thinks that the FIFA Pope has been disbanded, he is no longer grounded: “Infantino is not one of us.” The rise of the football official is being reinterpreted: instead of climbing four-thousanders in hiking boots, he climbed to the top of Fifa in designer shoes. After all the scandals, Burgener says, “It’s time to step down.”

With mulled wine against Cameroon

The fact that the ex-politician shoots Infantino may also have to do with his place of residence. Burgener lives in Visp – and Sepp Blatter, who had to step down for Infantino, is also from there. The school building bears his name. Visp is Blatter country. Most know him personally.

Burger does that too. Clearly Blatter doesn’t have three halos. But who has it? After all, he has turned FIFA into a billion-dollar company,” says Burgener. There are only about 5.3 miles between Visp and Brig. But there is an old feud between the villages. And both, of all people, have each delivered a FIFA president who is at war today. But even in Brig, many have turned their backs on Infantino, as a visit to the town square shows. On Thursday there are about 30 people. With mulled wine they watch the match between Switzerland and Cameroon. When asked about Infantino, one says: “Dä hetän Egge off”, another: “He has lost all sympathy.”

Others cling to Infantino. For example, mayor Mathias Bellwald (58). “I don’t think the FIFA president is a good human rights expert,” says the liberal. And: “Where there is a scrape, chips fly.” Infantino tried to harness the unifying power of football, to his credit.

Bellwald even justifies the comparison of Wallis with Qatar: “The working conditions of Italian migrant workers were also disastrous. For example, the construction of the Simplon tunnel has claimed many victims.” However, that was at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Attorney General threatens to hire a lawyer

Daniel Nellen (53), Infantino’s cousin, also shares the opinion of the Brig chief. He runs a barbershop in Brig. As a family member, the criticism hits him personally: “We are not much better than Qatar. Things have happened in Upper Valais that are not right.”

It is true that Infantino was bullied as a child because of his red hair. “Sautschingg and Hueretschingg are named after the Italians.” Nellen hates it when you talk badly about someone you don’t know personally. With a sigh he says: “Ultimately you are always the Secondo in Brig – even today. Would there be the same bashing against Infantino if his name was Schmid?

Whether they know him personally or not, everyone has an opinion about Infantino. They fight for him or against him. It is striking that Rinaldo Arnold, a childhood friend of the FIFA boss, is silent. He is the senior prosecutor in Valais and was involved in the Lauber case. He threatened to call his lawyer if his name appeared in the newspaper.