FIFA is negotiating with the Qatari authorities to remove the requirement to be vaccinated for next year’s World Cup.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thaniprim announced in June that any fan who wants to attend the World Cup will have to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, although he has not said anything yet about whether footballers will have to.
FIFA and the Qatari authorities are exploring the possibility that fans, players and officials could certify proof of having recovered from COVID-19 or submit negative evidence, a person familiar with the inquiries told The Associated Press. The person asked not to be identified in order to refer to the situation.
World Cup organizers and the Qatari government did not immediately respond to questions from the AP.
A first indication as to whether Qatar will relax the vaccine requirement could be seen when FIFA releases regulations for the Arab Cup in the coming weeks. The tournament with 16 teams will be played between November 30 and December 18 and will be a rehearsal of the World Cup stadiums.
“Qatar, as the host country, will provide the protection required to protect the health and well-being of all those involved in the competition,” FIFA said in a written statement. “All those who attend must comply with the travel instructions of the Qatari authorities and the most recent guide from the Ministry of Health. Complete information on COVID-19 protocols will be communicated to the groups involved as the competition approaches ”.
For the first time, FIFA directly encouraged players to get vaccinated.
“We stand behind COVID-19 vaccines,” said FIFA. ”.
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp argued in favor of vaccination.
“I do not get vaccinated for the sole purpose of protecting myself,” said the German strategist. “I get vaccinated to protect all the people around me.”
Klopp mentioned that 99% of the Liverpool campus has been inoculated.
“It’s a bit like drunk driving,” he said. “We’ve all been in a situation where we’ve had a couple of beers and think ‘I can drive.’ But this law was not adopted to protect me, but to protect everyone else because I am (drunk) and want to drive a car. And we have accepted that as a law ”.
“It is the same with vaccines. The experts have said that it is the solution to get out of this moment ”, he added.
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