08/22/26 09:05:00
Printable Page
08/22 09:03 CDT Infantino defies FIFA vice president by going to youth event in
Caribbean amid global soccer rift
Infantino defies FIFA vice president by going to youth event in Caribbean amid
global soccer rift
By GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer
GENEVA (AP) --- Gianni Infantino defied a request by one of his FIFA vice
presidents to stay away from an Under-14 soccer event in the Caribbean and
instead made a rare public appearance during the global furor over his failed
plan to sell future World Cup profits to private investors.
On Saturday, Infantino posted photos on his Instagram account showing the FIFA
president meeting political and soccer officials from the Dominican Republic on
the sidelines of a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) youth tournament in the Punta
Cana resort.
On Friday, Infantino had been asked not to go by Victor Montagliani, the
Canadian president of Miami-based continental soccer body CONCACAF, to avoid
being a distraction from the soccer games.
"I believe that considering the governance crisis surrounding FIFA as a result
of your controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, the media will focus on
this situation," Montagliani wrote in an emailed letter seen by The Associated
Press, "which will unfortunately significantly take away from the technical
nature of the CFU youth competition."
"As such, I respectfully ask you in the name of football to reconsider your
attendance as it will unfortunately undermine the technical nature of this
important youth development activity," Montagliani wrote.
FIFA declined to comment on the Montagliani request, though noted it directly
funds regional bodies like the CFU with up to $5 million from each four-year
World Cup cycle.
Montagliani has aligned with fellow FIFA vice presidents Aleksander Ceferin
from European body UEFA and Asian Football Confederation president Sheik Salman
bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa in seeking to end Infantino's increasingly executive
presidency now in its 11th year.
They accused Infantino two weeks ago of "deception" in secretly planning over
the past year to spin off FIFA's multi-billion dollar commercial activities to
a subsidiary 20% owned by investors led by Joshua Kushner.
Infantino withdrew the project on Aug. 1 amid a global backlash by soccer
leaders and fans, and hours after his own chief operating officer published
stinging criticism of the proposal and his leadership style in a statement to
the AP. The Zurich-based COO, Kevin Lamour, was fired this week.
Caribbean member federations are seen as potential supporters for Infantino to
peel away from their CONCACAF leadership. South American body CONMEBOL has
backed Infantino as its best path to hosting more games at the 2030 World Cup
it wants expanded from 48 teams to 64.
Avoiding questions from a bald reporter
The FIFA leader has not taken questions publicly since the $20 billion FFE
project was revealed July 28 by British daily The Times, and on Friday in Punta
Cana he evaded a reporter from British broadcaster Sky News.
Asked by Sky reporter James Matthews if he had betrayed the sport and should
resign, Infantino said "Thank you so much" and made quips about both men being
bald.
Infantino is aiming to be re-elected for a fourth and final term in office
through 2031 at the FIFA election congress next March in Rabat, Morocco. FIFA
has set Nov. 18 as a deadline for would-be candidates to enter the race.
___
See AP's full soccer coverage here
|
