FIFA president tells fans to ‘chill’ after Somali referee denied US visa
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has downplayed concerns from fans over the integrity of the upcoming World Cup, telling them to simply ‘chill and relax’ after a Somali referee was banned from entering the US.
Earlier this week, Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States to officiate at the World Cup, marking just one of several controversies to have dogged the global sporting event before it had even started.
Artan was set to make history as the first referee from Somalia at a World Cup but was refused entry to the United States at the border, due to a US travel ban blocking citizens from the nation from entering.
The decision to ban Artan, who himself believed had a valid visa to cross the border, sparked widespread condemnation from across the globe, prompting Infantino to address the situation directly during a 66 minute press conference on Wednesday evening.
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"It is unfortunate what happened to Omar. But we don't control everything. We try, we discuss and we will speak", Infantino said.
"Maybe sometimes it is good as well to just chill and relax. We work on everything and try to solve everything. Sometimes, to start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect of finding a solution.
"Believe me when I tell you, don't believe me if you want, we always try to find solutions. We are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces; we are a sports organisation”.
Reporters pushed back on his comments, asking specifically what he meant when he asked fans to ‘chill’ to which he responded: "In 2035, I think the Women's World Cup will be in (the) UK.
"Would you find it normal that FIFA would dictate to the British Government who to let in the country and who not to let in the country? I don't know, maybe you find it normal.
"Our world is a very aggressive world and security goes above everything. You need to respect the decisions.
"When I say 'chill', I don't mean 'chill and do nothing', I mean to trust us.
"We always try to make the situation as positive as possible and find solutions. Sometimes we manage, sometimes we do not."
During the same speech, Infantino also addressed the controversy surrounding sky high ticket prices after FIFA opted to adopt a dynamic pricing strategy.
Even tickets on its own official resale platform, where it takes 15 per cent cuts from the seller and the buyer of each ticket, were far from reasonable, with prices last month extending as high as $11.5m for some events.
Prices for this years tournament have been so egregious, they have made history as the competitions most expensive yet, but Infantino defended the decision regardless.
"The starting price at $60; the market is what it is. If you sell it at a lower price point, it would have gone on secondary markets at much higher prices.
"Where would the money go then? To those who organised secondary or black market activities and not to football.
"Every dollar that comes in goes back to the development of football. we have one competition every four years. The 47 other months out of the 48, we are investing this revenue in growth. Nobody else is doing that."
Phoebe Tonks