DOHA: FIFA president Gianni Infantino has visited Afghan refugees in Qatar but without apparently issuing any comment about the plight of the country’s beleaguered women footballers.

Infantino was accompanied on his visit to a facility scheduled for use at next year’s World Cup finals by Assistant Foreign Minister Lolwah-Al Khater and Hassan Al-Thawadi, secretary-general of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy.

He said: “I would like to thank the Qatar people, the Qatar government and his Highness the Emir for the incredible efforts that are made by this country to welcome so many people from Afghanistan as they live through difficult moments of their lives but are able to come here as a safe haven.

“The fact that this compound – something that was thought to be useful for the FIFA World Cup – has been able to be transformed into a home for people from Afghanistan for a transitional period is something that of course, fills us with joy.”

Infantino talked of the important role that football has to play in supporting the Afghanistan people in these times of great difficulty.

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