Infantino slams World Cup critics for 'spreading hate'

PARIS, JULY 27: FIFA president Gianni Infantino has hit back at World Cup critics, claiming they were "spreading hate and false rumours" and arguing the tournament delivered "only joy and happiness".

In a long open letter published on Monday, Infantino urged detractors to "take a moment to reflect, meditate, pray" after a tournament marked by controversies ranging from ticket pricing to visa issues.

"Sorry that you were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all," Infantino wrote in a post shared on his Instagram account and FIFA's official channels.

"To those behind their pens and papers, behind their screens, spreading hate and false rumours, I want to say that while you are sitting behind, we at FIFA are on the front lines organising, working hard, and delivering the best show in the world.

"We experienced no violence, no incidents, 100% safety and security, only joy and happiness!
The build-up to the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States was dominated by fears over sky-high prices, geopolitical tension, the shadow of conflict and the threat of brutal summer heat across the three host nations.

Iran's participation against the backdrop of war with the United States, along with concerns over Haiti's domestic crisis and the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, brought renewed scrutiny to visa and travel restrictions.

Somali referee Omar Artan became arguably the highest-profile casualty of President Donald Trump's hardline immigration crackdown, when he was denied entry to the United States.

Infantino, however, defended FIFA's handling of the tournament.

"While you spread hatred, we worked tirelessly to unite two countries at war. Iran entered the United States without incident or conflict," he said.

"The Iranian team received visas to enter because football is about peace. It's not about politics." "Countries facing serious health issues or other challenges were granted visas," Infantino added.    �"AFP