HIBAPRESS: Lebanese President Michel Aoun informed FIFA President Gianni Infantino of the approval to grant him Lebanese citizenship, during his meeting with his wife on Tuesday, according to what the President of the Lebanese Football Association revealed to Agence France-Presse.
An official source, who refused to be identified, confirmed the news to Agence France-Presse. President of the Lebanese Football Association, Hashem Haidar, who was present during the meeting at Baabda Palace, said, "The President informed him of the decree and the requirements of the file to complete its implementation. The decree granting citizenship to Infantino came because he is a public figure who provides services to Lebanon." Regarding his feelings about the possibility of obtaining citizenship, Infantino told LBC channel, "I do not have it yet, but soon. I feel very happy and proud, I feel very happy. I have felt like a Lebanese for many years, so it is good to formalize that as well." Infantino (55 years old) holds Swiss and Italian citizenships and is married to Lebanese woman, Leena Al-Ashkar, a former employee of the Lebanese Football Association. According to the official website of the Lebanese Football Association, "The President of the Republic asked Infantino to complete the necessary documents and legal papers to sign the Lebanese citizenship decree definitively later, in accordance with the applicable constitutional procedures." While Aoun promised to secure land dedicated to the Lebanese Football Association to establish a training ground and a modern headquarters for the federation, Infantino added, "What we need here in Lebanon is a modern football stadium, a stadium that hosts the matches of the national team that the fans are proud of." He continued, "We are exploring the possibilities of building a new stadium in Beirut… with a capacity of between 20,000 and 30,000 spectators. Today's stadiums are not only to host football matches, but are a symbol of the country, and Lebanon needs a symbol for sports and football that shows that it is willing to move towards the future in a modern environment for the young generation." Haidar added, "Infantino pledged to pay all the costs of the new stadium in Lebanon. We have to secure the land for the stadium and they will take care of the rest of the construction process, and they insisted that the stadium be in (the capital) Beirut." Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut is the largest in Lebanon and can accommodate about 50,000 spectators. It opened in 1957 and was renovated before hosting the 1997 Arab Games, but it has suffered from neglect in recent years.
