“There’s too much pressure on the players” – France captain Hugo LLoris demands players to concentrate on football and leave “the rest to politicians” at 2022 FIFA World Cup
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Hugo Lloris claims that although players at the World Cup should concentrate on their game despite issues over Qatar’s human rights record, they “cannot remain insensitive” to the issues. The debate around human rights in a nation where same-sex partnerships are forbidden has brought Qatar into the public eye well before the opening match of the tournament on Sunday.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino wrote a letter to all 32 participating countries in the World Cup urging them to concentrate on football, but it was met with criticism. France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is one of nine captains who will represent the OneLove anti-discrimination campaign by donning an armband with a distinct rainbow heart on it during the competition.
However, the captain of Les Bleus agreed with FIFA that athletes should respect the traditions of their host nation, telling reporters: “I have my personal opinion and that is in line with that of the president [French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet]. When we welcome foreigners to France, we want them to follow our rules and respect our culture. I will do the same when I go to Qatar. We may not agree with that, but I will show respect.”
“We cannot remain insensitive to these subjects. We are asking more and more of the players. But I believe that we must keep the focus on the game. Outside, everyone is free to express themselves and defend their opinions,” he added.
France captain Hugo Lloris beleives “There’s too much pressure on the players” to take a stand at 2022 FIFA World Cup at Qatar
Footballers shouldn’t bear the responsibility of criticising Qatar’s human rights record, according to Lloris. “There’s too much pressure on the players. We are at the bottom of the chain. If you have to apply pressure, first of all it had to be 10 years ago. Now it’s too late.”
“You have to understand that for players this opportunity happens every four years and you want every chance to succeed. The focus has to be on the field. The rest is for politicians. We are athletes.” Prior to their Group D match against Australia on November 22, the France team gathers at their training facility in Clairefontaine on Monday. Then, Les Blues will play Tunisia and Denmark in an effort to become the third team to win back-to-back World Cups.
Also Read: England will travel to the World Cup on a “Pride jet” as a sign of support for the LGBT+ community
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Sujeeth Shetty
(766 Articles Published)