08/10/26 09:42:00
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08/10 21:38 CDT UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC accuse FIFA of 'deception' and 'breach
of trust' over World Cup plans
UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC accuse FIFA of 'deception' and 'breach of trust' over
World Cup plans
Associated Press
Soccer powerbrokers in Europe, North America and Asia and believe FIFA
president Gianni Infantino's recent plan to sell an interest in the World Cup
was a "fundamental breach of trust" with the institutions that the sport's
global governing body serves.
In an "open letter to the football family" revealed Monday, UEFA, CONCACAF and
the AFC also said that "when trust is broken through deception, when an
individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with
authority, that duty has been abandoned."
UEFA runs soccer in Europe, CONCACAF is the confederation for North, Central
America and the Caribbean, and the AFC governs the sport in Asia.
The letter was co-signed by UEFA president Aleksander ?eferin, AFC president
Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani and the
general secretaries of the those continental governing bodies.
"Football is the world's greatest shared passion. It belongs to no individual
and no institution. It belongs to the players, the fans, the clubs, the member
associations and every institution entrusted with safeguarding its future," the
open letter said. "It is in that spirit, as confederations representing its
members, that we speak collectively today."
Infantino is facing a revolt after his failed plan to sell stakes in the World
Cup to private equity investors.
"It is not the conduct of a custodian of the game, but of one who believes the
game is answerable to him," the letter said. "These are not the qualities
football deserves in its leadership. That is why we have taken this stance: not
lightly and not alone, but together, and out of duty to the game we serve."
Infantino got some support from outside the game, with U.S. President Donald
Trump defending the FIFA leader in a social media post Monday night.
"FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even
considered replacing President Gianni Infantino," Trump posted. "He is
fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four
times, ever presented. If he is gone, it will never be as successful or
profitable again! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT"
UEFA previously issued a threat to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA
competitions despite the governing body abandoning and apologizing for its
failed plan.
Norway's soccer federation called for Infantino to step down, while England's
Football Association has also withdrawn its support for Infantino's re-election
next March.
"Football's strength has always been its unity. We call for that unity to be
honored now," the letter said. "For leadership that serves football, not seeks
to command it."
Last Wednesday, FIFA said it had apologized for errors made over the failed
plan but that senior staff at a crisis meeting in Morocco "reaffirmed their
full support" for Infantino's presidency.
However, the nature of the meeting was also met with criticism.
"FIFA's own letter also confirms that only one elected official was present at
the leadership meeting in Morocco," the open letter from the sport's three
continental federations said. "No FIFA Council members or Member Associations
were invited to participate. Only the management committee, composed of
FIFA-employed senior staff, was present."
FIFA was also urged to go further than just acknowledging mistakes were made.
"It treats this as a failure of communication, when what football witnessed was
a failure of judgment," the letter said. "There remains no recognition that
attempting to sell an interest in the FIFA World Cup was a profound failure of
judgment --- not just a procedural misstep, but a fundamental breach of trust
with the very institutions FIFA exists to serve."
In a statement released Saturday, FIFA defended Infantino against what it
called a "concerted and ongoing effort" to undermine his leadership of the
organization.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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