ＦＩＦＡ会長、Ｗ杯サウジ開催を支持 トランプ氏との関係も擁護

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】国際サッカー連盟（ＦＩＦＡ）のジャンニ・インファンティーノ会長は２月２８日、２０３４年Ｗ杯の開催地にサウジアラビアを選んだ連盟の決定を支持し、自身とドナルド・トランプ米大統領との関係についても擁護した。（写真は国際サッカー連盟〈ＦＩＦＡ〉のジャンニ・インファンティーノ会長）
　サウジアラビアは人権問題や移民労働者へのリスク、さらには同性愛を違法とみなすことへの懸念があるにもかかわらず、昨年１２月のＦＩＦＡ総会でＷ杯の開催権を与えられた。
　ＦＩＦＡのこのプロセスにはノルウェーサッカー協会（ＮＦＦ）からも批判が出ていたが、インファンティーノ会長はこの日、北アイルランド・ベルファストで行われた国際サッカー評議会（ＩＦＡＢ）の総会で、「全世界が団結する決議があった」とし、「全員をテーブルに招かなければならない。２０２６年には北米、次は南米、アフリカ、欧州へ行く。２０３４年にはアジアに戻る」「あらゆる詳細な報告を踏まえた上で、ＦＩＦＡの総会はそれを承認した」と述べた。
　また、トランプ氏とその一家との関係についても問われる一幕があった。昨年１２月のクラブＷ杯抽選会にはトランプ氏の長女イヴァンカ氏が参加し、今年１月の大統領就任式にはインファンティーノ会長が出席している。
　会長は分断を招いているトランプ大統領となぜ親密なのか聞かれると、「Ｗ杯の成功には大統領との緊密な関係が絶対に重要だと考えている」と回答。出場枠を３２チームに拡大して初めて行われる今年のクラブＷ杯が米国で開催され、来年のＷ杯も米国・メキシコ・カナダの共催であることに言及し、「Ｗ杯の開催招致の際、トランプ氏がすでに大統領であったことを忘れてはならない」と述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2025/03/03-17:53）

FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Friday stood by his governing body's decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia, while also defending his relationship with Donald Trump.
The Gulf kingdom was controversially handed the right to host the World Cup at a FIFA Congress in December despite concerns about its human rights record, the risks to migrant labourers and criminalisation of same-sex relationships.
The process followed by FIFA was also criticised by the Norwegian football federation but, speaking in Belfast on Friday, Infantino said: There was a Congress decision, uniting the entire world.
I think it was a very positive step for football, bringing, in eight years, football from all over the world, hosting everyone.
We have to be bringing everyone to the table. We will go to North America in 2026, now we go to South America, go to Africa, we'll go to Europe in 2030. We'll go back to Asia for 2034.
The FIFA Congress approved that, it was done after an in-depth report on all this.
Infantino also faced questions on Friday about his relationship with United States President Trump and his family.
Trump's daughter Ivanka was involved in the FIFA Club World Cup draw in December, with Infantino attending Trump's inauguration in January.
When asked why he was so close to the polarising President, Infantino said: I think it is absolutely crucial for the success of a World Cup to have a close relationship with the president.
We are organising a Club World Cup this year, the first ever FIFA Club World Cup, 32 teams, in the United States of America.
We're organising a World Cup next year in the United States, Mexico and Canada. And let's not forget that when the bidding happened for that World Cup, President Trump was already president of the United States.
Infantino was also quizzed on the prospect of Russia returning to the world football scene if a peace deal can be agreed following its invasion of Ukraine.
We look forward that all countries in the world can play football, Infantino said as he arrived for the annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which sets the laws of the sport.
We all hope that peace talks will be successful, because I think it is important that we support it for the world, much more than for football, that we have peace.
If there is a little role that football can play, once peace is there, then of course, we'll play our role.