(MENAFN- Swissinfo)
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the World Cup in Qatar is worth the greatest effort Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
A year before the start of the football World Cup in Qatar, Gianni Infantino has decided to rent a house in the Gulf state that is due to host the tournament, it has been confirmed.
This content was published on January 17, 2022 - 11:19 January 17, 2022 - 11:19 Blick/ac
- عربي
(ar)
جياني إنفانتينو رئيس الفيفا ينتقل للإقامة في قطر
An investigation published by the SonntagsBlick newspaper confirmed that Infantino had rented a house in Doha and that two of his children are going to school there. The FIFA chief has been living in Doha since October 2021, the paper said.
FIFA, world football's governing body, has always denied rumours of Infantino's move to Qatar but was forced to admit it was the case following the SonntagsBlick investigation. The organisation claims that its president continues to work at its headquarters in Zurich and pay taxes in Switzerland. It told SonntagsBlick that Infantino spends half of his working time in Doha and that the house in the Qatari capital allows him to spend a lot of time with his family. However, according to SonntagsBlick, employees have confirmed that Infantino is rarely present in Zurich.
Infantino defended his move to Doha in the paper saying that the World Cup, which is taking place from November 21 to December 18, 2022, would be a historic event for the region and FIFA and that it was worth the greatest effort.
The governing body told SonntagsBlick it was necessary for Infantino to be in Doha regularly to help organise the tournament.
Reactions
The move has raised eyebrows in the football community. English footballer turned broadcaster Gary Lineker responded on Twitter with the comment,“What the hell?”
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