FIFA president Gianni Infantino criticized amid Omar Artan scandal
The Guardian Sport • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 11, 2026, 4:01 AM
Last updated Jun 11, 2026
FIFA president Gianni Infantino faces criticism related to the ongoing Omar Artan scandal as the 2026 men's World Cup approaches. The commentary highlights the perceived indifference of the U.S. government under Donald Trump in regard to international visitors and human rights issues, contrasting this with past host nations. Despite attempts to soften political climates seen in the past, the current environment is characterized as one that exposes darker societal elements. The situation raises concerns about the implications for the tournament and FIFA's reputation.
- •Infantino criticized amid the Omar Artan scandal.
- •2026 men's World Cup co-hosted by the U.S. under Trump.
- •Commentary highlights global perceptions of human rights issues.
- •Critics point to U.S. indifference towards international visitors' concerns.
- 4:01 AMThe Guardian Sport — Omar Artan scandal reveals Gianni Infantino for what he is: one of sport’s greatest cowards | Jonathan Liew
"Fifa president has prostrated the organisation before Donald Trump and lost control of his own tournament as a result Even the Nazis tried to tone things down a bit. Before the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, acutely conscious of how it might be perceived by foreign visitors, the Third Reich tried to soften some of its harder, more intolerant edges. Antisemitic signs and images were removed from shops and other public places. Der Stürmer was removed from newspaper kiosks. Paragraph 175, the country’s strict anti‑homosexuality law, was temporarily suspended. By contrast, the 2026 men’s World Cup is being co-hosted in a country utterly indifferent to what a foreign visitor might think of it. In this respect, the US of Donald Trump is tonally different to any host of a major sporting event that has preceded it: a country that actively wants you to see the darkness in its heart, the inhumanity at its core, that gets off on your revulsion. Continue reading...
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