FIFA president Gianni Infantino has hit out at the supposed "hypocrisy" of Western nations in an impassioned defence of the upcoming 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The highly-controversial global event officially kicks off on Monday afternoon, as hosts Qatar take on Group A rivals Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium.
Ever since the Asian nation were awarded hosting rights in 2010, the tournament has been mired in numerous scandals, including allegations of corruption and human rights abuses.
Issues surrounding the treatment of migrant workers and LGBT people have also cast a thick black cloud over the World Cup, and disgraced ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter admitted earlier this month that having the World Cup in Qatar is a "mistake".
However, on the eve of the tournament, current incumbent Infantino spoke at length to reporters in a press conference, the majority of which saw the 52-year-old deliver a peculiar monologue.
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Amid reports of up to 6,500 migrant workers dying during preparations for World Cup, Infantino's opening remarks read: "Today I have strong feelings. Today I feel Qatari, I feel Arab, I feel African, I feel gay, I feel disabled, I feel a migrant worker."
Qatari officials have stated that only 37 deaths have occurred in workers involved in the construction of World Cup stadiums, a figure which has been disputed by the International Labour Organisation.
Nevertheless, Infantino has claimed that the West has no reason to criticise Qatar's alleged human rights abuses given the actions of Europeans over the past three millenniums, and he likened the situation of being discriminated against for being disabled or a migrant worker to his days of being bullied for having red hair.
"We have been taught many lessons from Europeans and the Western 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," Infantino added.
"If Europe really care 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.
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"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 and bullied as a foreigner in a foreign country. As a child I was bullied because I had red hair and freckles. I was bullied for that."
On Friday - two days before the tournament was due to kick off - FIFA announced that no beer would be sold in stadiums, a late U-turn on previous claims that select areas would be able to serve alcohol.
Ben Knapton
