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The MeidasTouch Podcast
FIFA Chief Under Pressure as Trump Creates New Challenges for the World Cup
00:22:37
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- [00:02]
Fox Sports Announcer
This episode is brought to you by Fox 1. Watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World cup live in 4K for just $19.99 a month with 3 days free. Build your own multi view, choose up to three streams and follow player spotlights. Stay on top of every moment with live stats, highlights and instant replays. The FIFA World cup, streaming live on Fox One, offers a subject to change. See fox.com for complete terms and conditions.
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- [03:02]
Midas Touch (Political Commentator)
Donald Trump is destroying the FIFA World cup before it really even begins in earnest. And FIFA's head, Gianni Infantino, is getting the karma he deserves. Gianni Infantino, a Trump bootlicker who literally had FIFA buy offices in Trump Tower to divert money to Donald Trump while the office sat dormant. Gianni Infantino, who awarded Donald Trump a fake FIFA Peace Prize so Donald Trump can feel all tough after losing the Nobel Peace Prize. Gianni Infantino, who would show up at all of these White House events and sit next to world leaders and cosplay like he was a president, prime minister, or prince. He's now saying, chill, chill, chill. We're just a soccer league. There's nothing we really can do when the United States is out there in a very racist way under the Trump regime, banning the world renowned Somali referee Omar Arten. What can we do as the United States bans fans, media, team officials for many of the teams around the world. If Donald Trump just doesn't like your country ban based on his racist views, or if Donald Trump wants to just politicize the FIFA World cup, or if Donald Trump wants to call the Iranian football team and their officials and their managers terrorists, what can I do? I'm just a soccer league. It's just the, the governments are doing it. Or how about the treatment already, the horrific treatment of teams and their managers by border patrol and other American officials who have done like cavity searches and strip searches or have, you know, sent people back to their country or have held people detained for hours and hours? Gianni Infantino, you want to take any account? But no, hey, Gianni Infantino, what about the 180,000 resale tickets that are currently still available after your scammy kind of price system where you priced out a lot of football and soccer fans? What about all of that? Gianni Infantino? And then, by the way, you have Rudy Giuliani's kid, Andrew Giuliani, who's ahead of the World cup in the United States. He's the, he leads the U.S. world cup organization that works with FIFA. He's already out there blaming the World Health Organization for disease outbreaks that are more likely now, whether it's the form of Ebola or measles or Hunter. He's saying it's Europe's fault even though the US Pulled out of the World Health Organization. The WHO should have done better Ebola detection even though the US has pulled out. Andrew Giuliani is like, we think it's A, a smart decision to stop all of these individuals who Donald Trump thinks aren't the right people to show up because they may be terrorists or very dangerous to our country. We've never had in the history of FIFA, and I'm talking about recent FIFAs in Russia, in Qatar and other places that are viewed as traditionally repressive, authoritarian type regime. They didn't do these things right here. And the contrast, by the way, between, between how Mexico is treating everybody who shows up, how Canada is treating everybody, and how the fascist, authoritarian United States is treating everybody, it's like night and day when you see, you know, the US Basically, you know, putting the Uzbekistan team in like a mini prison before they were able to actually get into the United States. And we're talking about like world class athletes too. If that's how they're treating them, imagine how the Trump regime is treating other people. And you contrast that to Spain. They've got the, the Marriott and the dancers who are showing, who are right out there when the teams are arriving there, you know. And by the way, the Iranian team is like, we love Mexico. They go, we heard the cartels are big fans as well, but they're like, the people in Mexico treat us so great over here. Anyway, let's go. I just want to go through, I want to bring the receipts right now. So Gianni Infantino, I'll show you just some B roll over here of him sitting with world leaders. When he was like invited to all of these Donald Trump events, he felt all big and tough. And here he is right here. Now fast forward to yesterday and he's being asked by the press, why don't you do something? Why don't you know you've been sucking up to Donald Trump. You, why don't you assert authority and do something? GIANNI Infantino we can't control everything. We have to stay chill, chill out, just relax while everybody's being treated this way. Watch what he says. Play this clip.
- [08:00]
Gianni Infantino (FIFA President)
We don't control everything. We try. We will discuss, we will speak, we will see. Maybe sometimes it's good as well to just, you know, chill, relax. We work on everything. We try to solve everything. Sometimes to immediately start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect of finding a solution. Believe me when I tell you or don't believe me if you don't want. But we try always to find solutions, always. But then we need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces. And I don't know what we are a sports Organization. We try to do our best with the means that we have to make as much as possible. And in this. And I conclude, we want to unite the world. And if I can ask you one thing again, if you want to criticize me, criticize me. It's fine. It's okay. But promote the unity of the World Cup.
- [09:16]
Midas Touch (Political Commentator)
Promote, then hat tip to this BBC journalist who says, are you embarrassed by what you and FIFA have become? Are you embarrassed that you've lost all control of the World cup already and it's already turned into this Trumpian dystopian nightmare that everybody's been warning about? And by the way, we've been making a lot of World cup videos about this now for what, almost a year where we've been warning about that. And I was told it's. Don't, Ben, you're being hyperbolic. You're saying these things. They're not. When it really comes to the World cup, they realize all eyes are gonna be on the United States, so they're not gonna do it. I'm like, no, he's a psycho. He's a demented fascist Trump. And Gianni Infantino's a bootleg. And demented fascist bootleg. I go, they're gonna do it. Trust me. Watch what Gianni Infantino says when this BBC reporter questions him.
- [10:09]
BBC Journalist
Let's play it told he can't enter. The United States sent back home accused of having links with suspected terror organizations. We have Mexico having to change their training. Sorry. Iran having to change their trainee base here to Mexico. We have fans and journalists from a number of countries who aren't able to attend this World cup because of travel bans or visa restrictions. You yourself have said in the past how important it is to have freedom of movement at a global event like this. You've said how inclusive it is, how welcoming it is as well. Are you embarrassed, therefore, by what actually has come to pass? And do you have to accept that you've lost some control of your own tournament here?
- [10:50]
Gianni Infantino (FIFA President)
Thanks for. You're from BBC.
- [10:52]
BBC Journalist
BBC.
- [10:56]
Gianni Infantino (FIFA President)
You know, in 2035, I think we hope the Women's World cup will be in the uk Right. Still needs to be a decision, but looks like. Would you find it normal that FIFA would dictate to the British government who to let in the country and who not to let in the country? I don't know. Maybe. Maybe you find it normal. I would like, personally, on the other side, the reality of the matter is that in every country, there are governments try to get into the uk, into Germany, into Switzerland without a visa, try to get a visa if you are for a certain kind. It's not easy. That's what I want to say. It's not easy when you have 300,000 accredited people, majority of which from outside of the US to process them, to vet them. You don't know, unfortunately, our world is, you know, a very aggressive world. And security goes above everything. And you need to respect the decisions which are taken. And when I say to chill, I don't mean to chill and do nothing. I mean to trust us, that we are working behind the scenes. We are trying to understand, and there are things we can know, things we cannot know, things we are told, things we are not told. And we always try to make the situation as positive as possible and to find solutions. Sometimes we manage, other times not. I think it has already been successful to bring Iran to play in America. I don't know who would have managed to do that. And of course, everyone here believes it's the right thing to do. But, you know, again, we don't live on the moon. We live on the. On planet Earth. And you have to deal with different situations. We try to do our best. We try to do our best. And I hope we'll have some good news.
- [13:27]
Midas Touch (Political Commentator)
Gentlemen, in the front row, more from FIFA President Gianni Infantino right here, who goes. We need to respect. We are not king, we are not governments. We are just a measly sports organization. We're just a soccer. No. First off, you're making tens of billions of dollars off of this. And you were right there pretending that you were a multinational organization on par with, like, the U.N. i mean, you would be there. And so now this is when leaders need to lead. This is a moment where you did your cosplay, you did your bootlicking. Now's the moment. Show a modicum of leadership with just a little sports league. We're just. We're just kicking balls into nets. That's all. This is just FIFA. Why are you asking me about this? That's why these human beings are so damn weak and pathetic. What's weak and pathetic behavior? No one's forcing you to be the head of FIFA. No one's forcing you into these positions when you take them. Be a role model. Act like a leader. Stand for something and stop falling for everything. Stop being authoritarian bootlickers. Seriously, play this clip.
- [14:47]
Gianni Infantino (FIFA President)
Believe me when I tell you, or don't believe me if you don't want, but we try always to find solutions, always. But then we need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces. And I don't know what. We are a sports organization. We try to do our best with the means that we have to make as much as possible. And in this. And I conclude, we want to unite the world. And if I can ask you one thing again, if you want to criticize me, criticize me. That's fine. It's okay. But promote the unity of the World Cup. Promote people coming to the World Cup.
- [15:39]
Midas Touch (Political Commentator)
Now, contrast that with someone who does stand for something. And I want to show you Omar Artan, the Somalian referee, banned from the US Because Trump is a racist against Somalians and the Trump regime a racist against Somalians. Let's just call it out what it was. So Omar Artan got a visa. That means he got all the documents he needed. But when he arrived in the U.S. he was told, we don't like your kind here. We don't like Somalians. We don't like Africans here from. From your countries. We don't like them here from the Trump regime. Sick, demented, racist Trump regime. But he went back to Somalia and he got a hero's welcome. And this touched my heart. I want you to watch as he goes back here. Play this clip.
- [16:59]
Gianni Infantino (FIFA President)
Yeah.
- [16:59]
Midas Touch (Political Commentator)
You saw all the people right there, thousands of people greeting him. Here's a statement that he issued. I am deeply grateful, Omar Arten says, for the overwhelming support, encouragement, and kind messages I have received from people around the world. Your solidarity has reminded me that football unites beyond borders. Thank you to everyone. He says powerful, powerful words right there. More over here. Contrast that with what Donald Trump said on the World cup when he was asked. So some people are afraid that it's going to be harder to get visas. What do you say? And Trump's like, nah, we're just looking out for the right people. Let's play this clip.
- [17:43]
Andrew Giuliani / US Government Official
Yeah.
- [17:44]
Gianni Infantino (FIFA President)
Soccer. World Cup.
- [17:45]
Unknown Interviewer (Possibly Sports Commentator)
Most successful World cup they've ever had. They never sold tickets at that level. They've never sold that many tickets so quickly. It's amazing because you don't think of soccer. We use the word football. Soccer. Right. But you don't think of soccer in this country. It's the most successful. I spoke to Johnny this morning. He's fantastic, and he's the boss. He said there's never anything close to what's happened.
- [18:12]
Midas Touch (Political Commentator)
But because of his success, some people
- [18:14]
Gianni Infantino (FIFA President)
are afraid that it's going to be
- [18:15]
Midas Touch (Political Commentator)
harder and harder to get visas to come from outside.
- [18:18]
Choice Hotels / Ray-Ban Meta Advertiser
Can you.
- [18:18]
Unknown Interviewer (Possibly Sports Commentator)
Well, we're going to we're working on it very closely to make sure the right people come into our country.
- [18:24]
Midas Touch (Political Commentator)
And then you had Andrew Giuliani talking about why did you ban Omar Ar Tan? Play this clip.
- [18:32]
Choice Hotels / Ray-Ban Meta Advertiser
There's a lot of talk abroad about how the United States blocking the entry of referees from Africa, Iranian coaching staff, national team fans, what are the actual reasons for these measures and is it a bureaucratic error?
- [18:46]
Andrew Giuliani / US Government Official
Sure. We'll take these one by one. So there's been one referee who has not been admitted and I can't go into the details. What I can tell you high level is it was for very good reason. I support that decision. I was speaking directly with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Commissioner of CBP on Sunday. The days are blending together a couple days ago on this and it was for very good reason that ultimately this referee did not get in the country. So only one referee, not multiple.
- [19:20]
Midas Touch (Political Commentator)
And Andrew Giuliani asks why are you giving the IRGC no tickets? And that they can't have, like why? Why are you treating them that way? I get that the US is involved in a war, invaded Iran, but Netanyahu, we get it, but why are you taking out on the football team? That's unprecedented. Why are you doing that? Here's what this idiot says. Let's play this clip.
- [19:44]
Andrew Giuliani / US Government Official
Iranian coaching staff, all the Iranian coaching staff is coming in. There are some Iranian officials that are not coming in again for very good reason. Can't get into the particular particulars on that. But as you can imagine, there are some people that claim that they are coaches that may not be coaches. And for the national team, all 31 players have had their visas issued, 26, plus the five additional players as well. They're going to be able to come into the country the day before their match. They're basing in Tijuana, which is about a 25 minute flight to Los Angeles. So it'll be a real quick flight for them to be able to get up there. If they were to drive up la, it might take eight hours. So I definitely recommend that they end up flying. But they'll be able to get in. Look, the President has been clear on this one. And Secretary Rubio, I know, has made multiple public statements just in the last six weeks on this one that he wants to make sure that they have every opportunity to compete on a level playing field here while also making sure that people that are directly working, let's say, with the IRGC have no ability to access the United States of America. And we are completely supportive of that.
- [21:05]
Midas Touch (Political Commentator)
And then more from him right here when he was asked about, why are you banning? Like so many people, here's what he had to say. Let's play it.
- [21:13]
Andrew Giuliani / US Government Official
We've had 35 teams that have come into the United States. No players, no coaches have been denied. There have been some officials that have been denied and for good reason. Again, we're striking that balance between making sure that any bad actors that come into the country or try to come into the country under the guise of the World cup will not get access to the United States of America.
- [21:34]
Midas Touch (Political Commentator)
Well, there you have it, folks. Let me know what you think. Hit subscribe. Let's get to 7 million subscribers. Thanks for watching, everybody. New Midas Merch. Head to store midastouch.com today and get yourself the best pro democracy gear and show your support. That's Store Midas Touch. Com.