INFANTINO STRIKES BACK: FIFA president criticizes his detractors and those of the World Cup

Gianni Infantino: “To all of you who missed watching kids, babies, grandparents, and parents come together for the beautiful game, I say sorry that the matches are now over and sorry that you missed all that joy and togetherness.” (Photo courtesy of FIFA)

A week after the World Cup final, Gianni Infantino went after his detractors, claiming that they were “spreading hate,” after heavy criticism of his presidency and of the World Cup.

In a statement that was posted on social media, including Instagram, Infantino said that those who hate FIFA should instead “meditate, pray or watch a football match.”

Among the criticisms levied at Infantino and FIFA were the ridiculously high ticket prices and the rescinding of U.S. forward Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension after President Donald Trump called the FIFA president to stay the ban.

FIFA earned $15 billion from the World Cup, three billion more than the estimated $11-12 billion that was announced before the tournament.

In his statement, Infantino claimed that critics had “missed all that joy and togetherness” and said they had been “spreading hate and false rumors”.

Infantino’s remarks appeared to be aimed at journalists.

“To all of you who missed watching kids, babies, grandparents, and parents come together for the beautiful game, I say sorry that the matches are now over and sorry that you missed all that joy and togetherness,” Infantino wrote. “Sorry that you were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all.

“To those behind their pens and papers, behind their screens spreading hate and false rumors, I want to say that while you are sitting behind, we at FIFA are on the front lines organizing, working hard, and delivering the best show in the world.”

While not talking about the Balogun controversy directly, Infantino wrote that “‘arguable’ referees’ decisions or ‘strange’ disciplinary rulings” were “routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide.

“It’s curious that the same countries employing these practices are the ones criticizing.”

Last week the Norwegian Football Federation said that it will make a formal complaint to FIFA over Trump’s role in the Balogun case.

“To those spending their time and energy hating us, please take a moment to reflect, meditate, pray, or watch a football match and truly observe the faces, the eyes, the emotions,” Infantino wrote. “May football rise above all hate.”