Gianni Infantino’s apology has not appeased Uefa, which has doubled down on its threat to boycott all Fifa competitions, ITV News’ Ellie Pitt reports from Rabat, Morocco.
Uefa has said Gianni Infantino’s apology over his scrapped World Cup investment plan “changes nothing” and reaffirmed its threat to boycott Fifa competitions.
In a letter signed by Infantino and Fifa general secretary Mattias Grafström on Wednesday and seen by ITV News, Fifa sought to move past the crisis and uphold the president’s leadership in the face of calls for his sacking.
However, in a statement on Thursday, Uefa questioned the credibility of the message, which declared Infantino had the “full support” of members of Fifa’s management board.
“Uefa’s associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non participation in FIFA competitions,” Uefa’s statement read.
“First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.
“These conditions have not been met. In addition, Uefa made it abundantly clear in it’s statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino’s presidency. That position holds.
“Yesterday’s announcement that some people employed by the Fifa president (and whose careers depend on his favour) agree with him changes nothing.”
Infantino has faced intense criticism over his plan to sell stakes in a World Cup company to private investors through the proposed Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE).
The proposal was backed by Joshua Kushner’s investment firm Thrive Capital was met with immediate fury from Infantino’s former colleagues at UEFA, which said the World Cup “is not FIFA’s to sell.”
ITV News asked Jed Feldman, the chief legal officer of Thrive Capital, whether he regretted working with Fifa on the deal in New York on Thursday
The plans were rejected by three continental confederations, while Uefa warned it would boycott the World Cup and other Fifa competitions if the proposal went ahead.
Several senior Fifa staff have openly criticised Infantino’s leadership over the proposal.
Fifa’s chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, said Infantino had “deceived” staff in planning the private investor scheme, adding that they “deserve better than contempt and intimidation”.
Crisis talks with Fifa’s management took place in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday, and afterwards the governing body reaffirmed its support for Infantino.
“Following a meeting in Rabat, Morocco, the Fifa secretary general and members of the Fifa management board in attendance reaffirmed their full support for Fifa president Gianni Infantino, as the only official elected by the 211 Fifa member associations,” a statement read.
“In turn, the Fifa president reiterated his full support for the Fifa secretary general and the Fifa administration for their necessary and outstanding work in the delivery of his vision.”
It continued: “With the project withdrawn, Fifa will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance and due process and will take all necessary measures to protect and safeguard its name and reputation.”
Infantino scrapped the investment plans on Saturday, but the scandal has left his leadership weakened just as he prepares to stand for re-election next year.
The England and Welsh Football Associations have both withdrawn their support for his leadership.
Other national associations are also understood to still be furious with Infantino.
FIFPro, a federation comprising of over 70 player unions worldwide, accused Infantino of a “profound abuse of presidential power”.
“The withdrawal of FFE was inevitable. But withdrawing the proposal does not erase what it revealed,” it said in a statement.
“A plan capable of permanently altering the ownership and governance of the FIFA World Cup, and commercialising the competitions built by generations of players, was conceived in secrecy, negotiated behind closed doors and brought to the brink of agreement before the FIFA Council, the member associations, players and football’s recognised stakeholders even knew it existed.
“That is not merely a governance failure. It is a profound abuse of presidential power.”
Prior to Wednesday’s statement, members of the Fifa Council were understood to be working to achieve the majority of 19 needed to request Infantino to convene an extraordinary general meeting.
There, he could be held to account over FFE, and also the Folarin Balogun case, when the US striker’s red card suspension was overturned during the World Cup.
Council members are understood to remain committed to forcing a ‘governance boycott’ if they cannot reach a majority, or if they do reach the majority and Infantino refuses the request to hold a meeting.
Councillors intend to stay away from meetings if this is not properly addressed – effectively incapacitating Fifa operations – such is their anger at Infantino’s conduct.
Despite all the anger at his leadership, Infantino appears to be carrying on with every intention of securing his next term, with the election due in March.
He is due to attend the inauguration of Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, on Thursday.
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