In a message addressed to the countries participating in the World Cup in Qatar, FIFA asked teams to focus on football and not political and ideological battles, Skysports reports.
“Please do not let football be dragged into every ideological or political battle that exists,” they wrote in a letter to the participating countries.
The authors of the letter are the president of FIFA Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Fatma Samoura.
The tournament begins in less than three weeks, and the loading was largely about the situation of migrant workers and the lack of human rights in the host country Qatar Where, for example, homosexuality can be punished with imprisonment or, in some cases, death.
Now FIFA instead wants teams to shift their focus to football.
“We know that football does not live in a vacuum and we are equally aware that there are many challenges and difficulties of a political nature around the world.” But please do not allow football to be dragged into every ideological or political battle that exists. ‘,” says the message to the 32 participating countries, according to Skysports.
Skysports, which has seen the entire letter, also reported that FIFA representatives promised that everyone would be welcome at the tournament in Qatar regardless of origin, religion or sexual orientation.
“In FIFA, we try to respect all opinions and beliefs, without giving moral lessons to the rest of the world,” Infantino and Samora wrote, according to Skysports.
On November 20, the first match of the FIFA World Cup will be held.