By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: FIFA.
World football governing body, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended the introduction of hydration breaks at the World Cup, insisting they’re “purely a sporting matter.
Mandatory three-minute breaks, introduced in the 22nd and 67th minutes of every match at the tournament, have drawn criticism from players, coaches and fans since the opening round of fixtures.
“There is no additional revenue for FIFA, as all commercial agreements were signed well in advance. So, this is not a financial issue for us. For us, it is purely a sporting matter,” Infantino said in a statement on Wednesday.
“And we see as well the intensity of the games. We’ve never seen 90 minutes in a tournament like this played in such an intensity. Until the last second of the match, players attack and so on.”
“And maybe, maybe not, but maybe it’s also a bit thanks to this little break that the players have and after they can go back on the field and show what they can do.”
The breaks allow coaching staff to give in-game tactical instructions, a shift critics say disrupts match momentum and fundamentally alters the nature of the game.
Infantino, who suggested FIFA would consider staging the same breaks in future tournaments “based on this experience”, also said it would not be fair to have hydration breaks in some games but not in others. Hydration breaks taking place in stadiums with air condition has been a source of considerable frustration for match-going fans.
He also said FIFA agreed their broadcast contracts in advance of the decision to implement hydration breaks, insisting that FIFA would not profit financially from them.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente and Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk have supported the intent behind the rule in extreme heat, but questioned the need for it in cooler conditions and at covered venues.