FIFA take a vow of SILENCE over Salt Bae despite final antics

FIFA have refused to comment on why celebrity chef Salt Bae was allowed to handle the World Cup trophy and get close to Argentina stars including Lionel Messi on the pitch after the final in Qatar.

Salt Bae, real name Nusret Gokce, broke FIFA rules by touching and holding the World Cup after Argentina had beaten France on penalties in Sunday's thrilling final.

But world football's governing body has opted for a vow of silence on Salt Bae's antics, which have been widely criticised on social media.

Eyebrows have been raised at the close relationship between the Turkish chef and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Salt Bae was given a VVIP pass for the final by Infantino, despite him having no links or ties to football, the teams involved or the tournament itself.

Gokce was able to access the pitch at the Lusail Stadium and was pictured holding the trophy and posing for pictures with the iconic golden prize.

Football's governing body have a set of rules surrounding the World Cup trophy, with a very specific list of those allowed to touch it.

'Its current design dates back to 1974,' FIFA's website reads. 'As one of the most recognised sports symbols in the world and a priceless icon, the original Fifa World Cup Trophy can only be touched and held by a very select group of people, which includes former winners of the Fifa World Cup and heads of state.'

Salt Bae, who does not meet any of the criteria outlined by FIFA, has openly promoted pictures of himself with the trophy on Instagram despite the blatant rule breach.

He was also seen desperately trying to join in Argentina's celebrations after their dramatic win over France, with a series of cringeworthy videos showing his awkward attempts to hold the trophy and pose for pictures alongside the likes of Angel di Maria and Lisandro Martinez.

In another clip which surfaced online, Gokce also appeared to be blanked by Messi in an uncomfortable exchange as he tried to get the PSG superstar's attention before his long-awaited trophy lift at the Lusail Stadium.

The culinary celebrity responded to criticism by sharing footage that shows him meeting Messi and posing with the Argentina captain back in 2018.

After enjoying a meal with then-Man United midfielder Paul Pogba at one of Salt Bae's restaurants in Dubai, Messi can be seen shaking hands with the restaurateur and even enjoying a hug before posing for a picture.

He captioned the post on Instagram: 'the champion @leomessi #saltbae #saltlife #salt'.

Former Crystal Palace chairman and talkSport pundit Simon Jordan also took aim at FIFA over Salt Bae's cameo, accusing world football's governing body of 'cronyism'.

'It defies convention, it breaks protocol,' Jordan said on talkSPORT. 'It looks like cronyism, it smells like cronyism, it walks and talks like cronyism, so guess what it is? It’s bleeding cronyism.

'It’s unprofessional. There's no place for him. He shouldn't have been on the pitch.'

The famous chef has developed friendships with countless celebrities since being thrust into the spotlight in 2017, when a video of his trademark salt-sprinkling techique went viral online.

Several football stars visit his restaurants on a regular basis, with England players Ben White and Kalvin Phillips seen at his Mykonos establishment after Euro 2020 last year.

Infantino, who has outlined his intention to remain FIFA president until 2031, has been regularly pictured with Salt Bae - which derives from his infamous method of salting the meat he serves at his expensive restaurants - during his tenure at the helm.

The FIFA chief visited Salt Bae's Qatar steakhouse during the tournament.

Infantino can be heard in a video saying: 'Football unites the world and Nusret unites the world as well.'

Pop star Rhianna also held the trophy after Germany had beaten Argentina in the final in Brazil in 2014.

World football's governing body does not appear to have commented on Rhianna breaking the rules.

FIFA has previously granted exception to their regulations on the World Cup to Brazil's disabled football team. It is not clear whether Salt Bae or Rhianna were given similar exceptions by the organisation.

FIFA has not replied to a request for comment from Sportsmail and has also ignored similar requests from other media in the days since the incident.