FIFA president Gianni Infantino posted a 15-slide message directed at people “busy planting seeds of hate” on Instagram on Sunday night, claiming the World Cup went off without incident.
Infantino’s Sunday night missive began: “To everyone who missed our beautiful game…sorry that you were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all.” He went on to further single out people “behind their pens and papers, behind their screens spreading hate and false rumours.”
The post was filled with jarring and inaccurate claims; he wrote that the World Cup saw “zero incidents, zero hostility, zero violence, just joy, emotions, happiness, unity, and togetherness.”
Four people died during celebrations in Mexico City after Mexico beat Ecuador in the round of 32. South African midfielder Jayden Adams was found dead in Cape Town after returning from the tournament, and police are investigating a cause of death.
FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the inaccuracies or what prompted Infantino’s post.
