Search Site

Trends banner

TSMC first-quarter net profit soars

Its net revenue for the quarter soared nearly 42%.

Tesla’s first Saudi showroom opens

The opening in Riyadh comes with Tesla sales dropping.

Mubadala Energy enters US energy market

Acquires a 24.1% interest in US firm Kimmeridge’s SoTex

Borouge to increase dividend from 2025

The company okayed $650 million final dividend for 2024.

TikTok’s US future uncertain

It must find non-Chinese owner to avoid ban.

Macron says ‘must not politicize sport’ ahead of Qatar World Cup

France's President Emmanuel Macron will go to Qatar if France reach the semi-finals. (AFP)
  • French president, who will go to Qatar if France reach the semi-finals, said it was "a very bad idea to politicize sport."
  • France begin their defense of the World Cup trophy against Australia on Tuesday before also playing Denmark and Tunisia
Bangkok, Thailand– French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday waded into the controversy around Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup, insisting sport should not be politicized.

“I think we must not politicize sport,” said Macron, whose national team is defending the title they won in Russia in 2018.

“These questions must be addressed when hosting the event is decided,” he told reporters in Bangkok, where he is attending a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

French football captain Hugo Lloris has said he will not join other European captains in wearing an anti-discrimination armband during the tournament, saying he wanted to “show respect” to Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal.

Macron, who will go to Qatar if France reach the semi-finals, said it was “a very bad idea to politicize sport”, noting that France will host the Olympic Games in 2024.

The president travelled to Russia in 2018 to see Lloris lift France’s second World Cup title with a 4-2 win in the final over Croatia.

France begin their defense of the World Cup trophy against Australia on Tuesday before also playing Denmark and Tunisia.