Of course we can be happy with the 1-0 victory of the Swiss national team. Unfortunately, you can’t limit yourself to the sporting side of this World Cup – it’s way too commercialized and politicized.
Only one week after kick-off, one thing is certain:
1. Awarding the 2022 World Cup was a mistake. Qatar bought the elimination, also with lucrative counter deals. Or was it just a coincidence that the Sheikdom bought multi-billion dollar Rafale fighter jets after France switched to Qatar?
2. The bashing of Qatar was too strong. Oppression of women, discrimination against homosexuals, exploitation of guest workers, curtailment of freedom of expression: the accusations against Qatar were always the same.
What was lost was how versatile the sheikh was, how impressively the rise from a fishing village to a geopolitically important power was accomplished and how pragmatically the well-educated, mostly 35 to 45-year-old rulers ruled.
While Qatar emphasized just as generally but irritated that everyone is welcome, one could also have calmly said: Let’s see what the hosts do with this World Cup.
3. Qatar missed the chance for a winter wonderland. The Germans turned their 2006 World Cup into a summer fairytale. Similarly, Qatar could have shown itself to be a friendly host, celebrate an unforgettable football festival and improve the country’s image in the long run.
But the sheikdom ruined it in the first week of the World Cup. The official tournament ambassador described homosexuality as “mental damage” and exposed all welcome slogans as propaganda. At the last minute, the sale of beer inside and outside the stadiums was banned. When it became clear that their team would lose in the opening game, the Qatari fans poured out of the stadium early on.
In the end, the innocent plan of the European clubs to make captains wear a bracelet with the inscription “One Love” ended in the culture crash. This was followed by a ban with vague threats of punishment – a brutal display of force! How can you shoot a penalty so brutally?
Gianni Infantino (52) plays the decisive role in this World Cup disaster. As FIFA president, he should act sovereignly and independently. But he dances to the tune of Qatar – and the whole world is watching! The Valais football official no longer feels his role as he calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine that would only help Russia. And when he ridicules all criticism of Qatar, Fifa and himself in a bizarre speech.
After his election in 2016, the FIFA president was bursting with freshness, courage and drive. Everyone who met him recognized his sincere desire to make FIFA a serious sporting organization again.
Face-to-face meetings are rare these days, but those who see Infantino from afar think of an aloof official who has not been in power well – and who has forgotten all the values that little Gianni of Brig Mr. created.