Uefa maintains stance on Fifa president despite backing from management board
Uefa’s continued dissatisfaction
Uefa has stated that Fifa’s defence of its president, Gianni Infantino, has not altered its position, with the possibility of European teams boycotting competitions, including the World Cup, remaining. The European governing body indicated that its conditions have not been met, even after Infantino’s proposal to sell stakes in tournaments was withdrawn. Uefa had previously expressed a loss of confidence in Infantino, describing the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal as a “shabby, back room, opaque deal.”
The conditions set by Uefa included the withdrawal of proposals to sell off major competitions and assurances that such attempts to “disfigure the game” would not be made again. Uefa’s statement reiterated its clear position from a previous Saturday announcement regarding its lack of confidence in Infantino’s presidency. The organisation also noted that the recent announcement of support for Infantino from some of his employees “changes nothing.”
Fifa’s internal response and wider support
During a meeting in Rabat, Morocco, Fifa acknowledged “mistakes” concerning the FFE, stating it was “not the intention” for the Fifa Council and member associations to “feel excluded from the process.” Fifa indicated that the process should have been handled differently. Infantino had offered associations $40m (£30m) if they supported private investment in tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, through the FFE subsidiary.
Despite Uefa’s strong stance, other confederations have expressed support for Infantino. The Confederation of African Football (Caf) “unanimously reconfirmed” its support for the president. Concacaf, which oversees football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, also issued a statement after the proposal was aborted, though it did not go as far as Uefa in expressing a loss of confidence. Conmebol, the South American confederation, stated it would not support any action that disregards Fifa’s mechanisms before the presidential election. The president of the Gambia Football Federation, Lamin Kaba Bajo, praised Infantino’s “courage” and expressed continued support.
Potential actions and upcoming tests
Uefa is exploring various options to address its concerns regarding Infantino’s leadership. One potential route involves forcing an emergency meeting of the Fifa Council, which would require the support of 19 of 36 confederation and football association heads. Another option is a vote of no confidence, which would need a majority of Fifa’s 211 member associations, equating to 106 votes, to pass the motion. Uefa is also considering finding a unity candidate to stand against Infantino in the election scheduled for March.
The option of a boycott remains on the table for Uefa. The organisation’s stance will be tested with the upcoming Fifa Women’s U20s World Cup, which is set to begin in Poland on 5 September. Six European countries, including England, are scheduled to participate in the tournament.
Within Fifa, some employees, including secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, had been critical of the FFE proposals in internal communications. However, following a meeting, Infantino and Grafstrom were pictured together at a Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match. Fifa’s chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, who strongly criticised the FFE plan, was reportedly not invited to this meeting. Uefa continues to seek answers to key questions regarding the FFE proposal, including who was involved, whether there was a competitive tender process, and if Infantino stood to benefit personally.
Source: bbc.co.uk