Infantino defends awarding of Club World Cup to China amid Uighur outcry

FIFA president Gianni Infanti has defended decision to award hosting of his much-vaunted new Club World Cup to China despite country facing international condemnation for treatment of its Uighur mirity. "Maybe that with going re, playing re, in China or anywhere else in world, people will continue to speak about topics like this, to raise se questions, and maybe eventually situations for people are going to improve," Infanti said to journalists on Friday in Doha.

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re has been an international outcry at China's rounding-up of an estimated one million Uighurs and or mostly Muslim ethnic mirities in internment camps in rthwestern region of Xinjiang. On Friday European Parliament called for targeted sanctions to be imposed against Chinese officials. issue crossed over into football last week when Arsenal player Mesut Ozil, a German international of Turkish origin, condemned treatment of Uighur mirity in a Twitter post.

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In response, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV pulled its cover of Arsenal's Premier League game against Manchester City. Ozil has also been deleted from Chinese versions of popular Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) mobile game. Arsenal, however, distanced mselves from ir player's comments. Infanti is in Qatar for Saturday's Club World Cup final, with Liverpool facing Flamengo to decide winner of what is currently a seven-team event.

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Next year's competition will be last in its current format before it goes to China as an expanded 24-team tournament to be held in June and July of 2021. FIFA was also heavily criticised for awarding 2022 World Cup to Qatar despite concerns over country's treatment of migrant workers, including those involved in construction of stadiums. However, Infanti said that world football's governing body could t "solve issues that world is t capable of solving." He added: "How many billions in trade is done every year by everyone in world with all se countries that are criticised?

"body seems to have a problem with that. Suddenly it comes to football and re is a problem." 

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