FIFA President Gianni Infantino has suggested that calendar changes in football could help prevent Africans from drowning at sea during migration.
His statement has been deemed racially induced.
The governing body of world football has proposed holding a World Cup every two years.
More regular World Cups, according to Infantino, can help provide hope for some nations, but his comments on the impact on African migration have been criticized.
“We need to give opportunities and we need to give dignity,” said Infantino.
“Not by giving charity, but by allowing the rest of the world to participate. We need to give hope to Africans so they don’t need to cross the Mediterranean in order to find, maybe, a better life, but more probably death in the sea.”
According to data compiled by the Missing Migrants Project, over 23,000 people have gone missing as a result of attempts to cross the Mediterranean.
Andrew Stroehlein, media director at Human Rights Watch, tweeted: “My colleagues at Human Rights Watch interview refugees around the world pretty much every day. They never mention the timing of World Cup tournaments.”
Kick It Out chief executive Tony Burnett reacted to Infantino’s comments by stating: “Fifa is a multi-billion profit-making organisation. They already have the funds to invest in creating and inspiring opportunities for disadvantaged people around the world.
