The World Cup in Qatar opened its doors on Sunday in a ceremony not without controversy, like much of what surrounds the celebration of the international soccer championship in the Arab emirate and that have led to boycotts in Germany or Denmark. The composition of the box of the authorities of the Al Bait stadium during the opening ceremony left a snapshot that has raised blisters on social networks.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat next to Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, considered the instigator of the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Istanbul consulate in 2018. Cameras focused on the Qatari emir , Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, giving his speech immortalized the moment.
The closeness of Bin Salmán, who was named prime minister last September of a country that punishes dissent with death, to Infantino was viewed with suspicion on Twitter. Some users recalled that Saudi Arabia plans to present itself as a candidate to organize the 2030 World Cup, according to some media, although Riyadh has not confirmed it. The Times of London reported in September that the kingdom could submit a joint bid with Egypt and Greece.
The possible contradiction of the company of the head of the International Football Federation with his allegation before the press the day before did not go unnoticed either. Infantino attacked the "hypocrisy" of the West on Saturday in a statement calling for criticism to be put aside and to focus on inclusion: "Today I feel Qatari, today I feel Arab, today I feel African, today I feel gay, Today I feel disabled, today I feel like an immigrant worker," he recited.
Beyond the Bin Salmán and Infantino couple, the privileged place occupied by the crown prince, known as MBS, in the box was also surprising. The crown prince's visit to Qatar is the latest sign of strengthening ties between the two countries, although until early last year Riyadh was one of the biggest promoters of the diplomatic and commercial blockade against Qatar. In June 2017, the Saudis, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic relations with Doha because they accused it of supporting terrorism. In this sense, the print on Sunday also staged the thaw between the Qatari emirate and the Saudi monarchy.
