The president of the FIFA, Gianni Infatino, said that the organization tries to defend all competitions and make them compatible in the face of the situation generated by the COVID-19 and stressed that “the players are the heart of football and the soul of the public.”
At the closing ceremony of the virtual forum organized by World football summit and the former Brazilian soccer player and businessman and president of the Valladolid, Ronaldo NazarioInfantino answered questions from him and spoke in a relaxed way about the current situation and “the harshness” of having to stop this sport everywhere except for a few exceptions.
“This has shown us how small we are and we realize that we need global solutions, not just football for a few in a few countries. We work on how we can design football for the future in the best way for when there is normality. It is it's important to be connected, listen and cheer. We try not to fight too many people, all sides are trying to defend all their competitions and we are trying to make them compatible, “he said.
He also stressed the need to guarantee health and protect players, whom he defined as “the heart of football”, although “there are those who may have forgotten it”, and the sadness caused by watching football without an audience in the stands, because “fans are the soul of this sport”, although it is not yet possible in most fields.
“At present we are here to protect the true protagonists, in this particular period we must give more opportunities. You were not very bad as a player, how many minutes or games can you play in a year?” He asked Ronaldo, who opted for “The time to give opportunities to players who don't normally play.”
Ronaldo asked Infantino about the international calendar, “with which no one seems to be happy”, and about the future of competitions such as the Club World Cup of the FIFA, which was to be released in 2021, although it will not be so due to the postponement of the Copa América and the Eurocup.
“I do not know how it should be yet, there are players who have to make many trips and it is time to talk about this, but first you have to listen to opinions. Regarding the Club World Cup I do not know why they may be afraid of this competition. We decided to replace the Confederations Cup for something more interesting with the idea of bringing together the best clubs in the world for a couple of weeks, “he said without specifying dates.
Infantino was resounding about the obligation to FIFA “protect the integrity of the competition” against the implications that the health crisis will have on the players' contracts and the transfer windows that will be extended.
“If a player starts a competition with a club, he must end it with the same club,” she said, while demanding greater support for women's football, “a priority for the FIFA“According to what he said, he will receive part of the aid destined by it to face the economic impact of the current crisis.” We should not use the COVID to put women's football aside, we must invest more, “she said after repeating her idea that the world of women is every two years.
Last month the FIFA agreed to make 1.5 billion dollars available to soccer; make a solidarity donation of $ 1 million to all member associations, another of 500,000 specifically to women's football and a grant of $ 2 million for each confederation.
Infantino He considered that “they work very carefully on the financial side and that FIFA is in a strong position to help financially,” while defending the work of the latter against any type of intolerance and violence.
“FIFA is an organization that works for respect, tolerance, against all kinds of violence and discrimination. We must lead by example in this particular debate,” he said before thanking the “Phenomenon” for his questions and congratulating him on his English. , although the Brazilian said resignedly that he must do something to improve it.