Release of internationals: "I have written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson" (G. Infantino, FIFA)

"I have written to (British) Prime Minister Boris Johnson and appealed for the necessary support, in particular, so players are not deprived of the opportunity of representing their countries in qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup, which is one of the ultimate honours for a professional footballer," said Gianni Infantino (ITA-SUI), president of FIFA, on 25/08/2021.

Infantino was reacting to a Premier League statement issued on 24/08/2021, which announced that all 20 English clubs have unanimously decided not to release their international players in the next international window if it involves travel to any of the countries red-listed by the UK due to the Covid-19 health situation (see full statement below). Indeed, any visitor to any of these countries - including Brazil, Egypt, Uruguay and Argentina - must undergo a 10-day quarantine on their return to England, which would inevitably result in the players concerned missing several matches at their respective clubs.

"I have suggested that an approach similar to that adopted by the UK government for the final stages of the…