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FIFA president Gianni Infantino spoke with reporters ahead of the World Cup on Wednesday -Credit:Carl Recine/Getty Images
Gianni Infantino has said that he would have personally driven the Iranian national team bus from Tehran to the United States to ensure their World Cup participation. The FIFA president addressed multiple subjects at a press conference on Wednesday, including his response to Somali referee Omar Artan being refused entry into America.
It marked his first public address in three years, with Infantino tackling several contentious issues ahead of the tournament's Thursday kickoff. Iran was predictably among those topics, with their football federation having already issued multiple statements regarding visa complications they encountered upon reaching the United States.
On Iran, he said, as per The Mirror: "I'm very happy because I went to see myself the Iranian team in Turkey in March and people were saying it would be impossible for Iran to come to the World Cup - I promised them that they would come and if I had to go with a bus to Tehran and drive them I would do that."
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The Iranian national team arrived in Mexico on Sunday -Credit:Mario Tama/Getty Images
While Iran's presence at the tournament is welcome despite the continuing Middle East conflict, Somali official Omar Artan will be absent. He was barred from entering the country earlier this week, with a White House representative confirming he was denied entry due to an "association with suspected members of terror organizations."
Infantino has now weighed in on the controversy, with the 56-year-old making a bizarre claim.
He said: "The third point about the visas, we have heard and read a lot, we have been able to, in terms of the US, organise with the American administration the FIFA pass system.
"A speedy process which I'm told is working, maybe not working always with everyone. We have obtained that the bonds, payments which has to be made to some countries in Africa have been waived for those who are coming, we obtained it for the fans.
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"Of course, it is unfortunate what happened to Omar, the referee from Somalia, but again, we don't control everything.
"We try, we will discuss, we will see. Maybe sometimes it is good to chill, relax, we work on everything. We try to solve everything.
"To immediately shout is the opposite to finding a solution, believe me or don't, we always try to find solutions, but we have to respect we aren't kings of the world who can overrule administrations, the police, we are a sports organization we try to do our best, we do as much as possible.
"I conclude, we want to unite the world, and if I can ask you one thing, if you want to criticize me, criticize me, that's fine. But promote the unity of the World Cup, feeling emotions of the World Cup when you were children, and I hope you will feel them because we want to unite the world."
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