In an interview given to Sunday newspaperin its October 23 edition, the former head of state defended the holding of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, less than a month from its opening.
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The World Cup in Qatar? No problem for Nicolas Sarkozy. In an interview given to JDD, Sunday, October 23, the former President of the Republic testified to his astonishment at the controversies that preceded the holding of the event (from November 20 to December 18). Involved in the investigation in France on the attribution of the competition to the Gulf countries, in particular around a lunch at the Elysée Palace on November 23, 2010, Nicolas Sarkozy claims in particular that the organization be judged on documents, and not a priori.
“Football is a universal sport and every region of the world must be able to organize an international competitionhe believes. Football does not belong only to Westerners, whether they are French, English, Italian or American. It is a sport that brings people together. I observe that all the countries that have organized major international events in recent years have been the subject of multiple controversies: China, Russia, Brazil, today Qatar. We should give each of these host countries the chance to demonstrate their expertise and wait for how these events unfold before judging them.“
[EXCUSIF] Pensions, Ukraine, LR congress … Nicolas Sarkozy comes out of his silence
For the first time since 2016, the former head of state has agreed to talk politics. Presidency of Emmanuel Macron, Congress of Republicans… He does not evade anything. https://t.co/qtCOfEhkGu
— The JDD (@theJDD) October 22, 2022
Qatar is singled out on environmental issues or respect for human rights. In early October, several NGOs and associations denounced the organization of the event and called for a “diplomatic boycott”. According to an Amnesty International report, more than 6,000 workers died building the stadiums that will be used for the event.
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Several cities in France have chosen to boycott the competition by not setting up giant screens or fan zones to follow the matches, as in Paris. A decision which did not fail to make Nicolas Sarkozy smile in the columns of the JDD. “The mayor of Paris is, it seems to me, very satisfied that the Qataris own and finance the club of the capitaladvances the one who has never hidden being a faithful supporter of the Parisian club. They are right. But that seems more engaging to me than installing a giant screen… This controversy is quite hypocritical.“The World Cup begins on November 20 in Doha.