Gianni Infantino deluded to expect silence on Qatar issues – Kick It Out chief

A letter from FIFA president Gianni Infantino, pictured, to competing nations urging them to leave politics aside has been criticised by Kick It Out chief executive Tony Burnett (Nick Potts/PA)

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is “deluded” to expect World Cup participants to be silent on human rights issues during the tournament in Qatar, the chief executive of Kick It Out has said.

Infantino wrote to all 32 competing nations earlier this month urging them to focus on the on-field action and “not allow football to be dragged into every ideological or political battle that exists”.