“I feel gay, I feel like a migrant worker”

The Muslim country of Qatar, host of the 2022 World Cup, has been criticized for its Sharia laws against homosexuality and its mistreatment of migrant workers. Still, FIFA and the World Cup are hosting the biggest football event in Qatar, anyway.

Now FIFA President Gianni Infantino is being criticized for belatedly expressing his sympathy for oppressed gay people and migrant workers in Qatar with a speech in which he exclaimed that he “feels gay” and “feels as a migrant worker” in direct violation of the host of the world. The Cup’s much-derided policies, Reuters reported.

As he opened the World Cup pre-match press conference, Infantino gave a short speech to address Qatar’s abusive human rights record.

“Today, I feel Qatari. Today, I feel Arab. Today, I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today, I feel handicapped. Today I feel (like) a wanderer. Today I feel (like) a migrant worker,” Infantino said, adding, “I feel all of this because what I see…brings me back to my personal story.

Infantino went on to describe his early life as the child of an immigrant couple in Switzerland who were “bullied” for his parentage and for his red hair and freckles.

He added that he knew he was not a Qatari, he was not gay or he was African: “But I want to because I know what it means to be discriminated against, being bullied, as a foreigner in a foreign country. ”

Infantino immediately came under fire – especially from the gay community – for not being gay and could make such remarks without being arrested by Qatar for it. In other words, critics felt he was in no danger because of his proclamation.

But FIFA media relations director Bryan Swanson, a gay man, disagreed with the criticism.

“I sit here in a privileged position on the world stage as a gay man here in Qatar. He was assured that everyone will be welcome,” Swanson said. “Just because Gianni Infantino isn’t gay doesn’t mean he cares. He does.

But the criticism still stands. It’s easy for FIFA leaders to suddenly rise up and side with the underdog just hours before the World Cup kicks off in the oppressive Muslim nation.

Migrant workers pray on the Corniche in Doha, Qatar on Nov. 20, 2022, as part of the build-up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. (Simon Holmes/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

But FIFA chose this nation to host the games, and for years when planning these games, has done nothing to side with the underdogs that Infantino so belatedly supports.

Qatar’s legal system is based on strict adherence to Muslim Sharia. And this system prohibits all kinds of premarital sex. Above all, Sharia law makes homosexuality illegal.

Qatar has also been criticized for the number of migrant workers who died during the construction of the facilities which will be used by the World Cup.

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