Infantino faces scrutiny in Rabat
Fifa president Gianni Infantino is currently in Salé, Morocco, where he is reportedly attempting to secure his presidency amidst growing criticism. Reports indicate that Infantino has been in Salé this week, with his aides reportedly contacting former players who serve as Fifa Legends, paid ambassadors for the organisation, to solicit public support for him. One such ambassador, Luís Figo, publicly stated that Infantino should resign, condemning a plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors as highly deceitful.
The meeting on Wednesday in Rabat, at Fifa’s Africa office, includes senior leaders of football’s global governing body. Among those present are secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, finance chief Thomas Peyer, legal chief Emilio Garcia Silvero, chief of staff Daniel O’Toole, chief of member associations Elkhan Mammadov, and media relations director Bryan Swanson. The purpose of the meeting is understood to be an attempt by Infantino to mend relationships and maintain his position.
The gathering follows an internal memo from Grafstrom to Fifa staff, which described recent events as a “sad and reproachable series of events” that were “difficult to comprehend and accept.” Additionally, Kevin Lamour, Fifa’s chief operating officer, stated that the private investment plan was “the project of one person” and that Fifa’s administration had been “deceived.”
Mounting opposition and key questions
The criticism against Infantino has intensified, particularly after his plan to sell off Fifa’s commercial and event operations was scrapped. Arsene Wenger, chief of global football development, affirmed that he was not involved in the Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal and deemed its abortion “absolutely necessary and beyond question.”
Prince Ali, president of the Jordanian Football Association, accused Fifa of creating a situation that amounts to “blackmail” concerning unpaid prize money and support for Infantino’s re-election. These claims have not been verified, but they reflect strong opposition among member associations. Uefa has also expressed a loss of confidence in Infantino’s leadership, leading several member associations, including Wales, to withdraw their support for his re-election.
Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s senior adviser on global strategy and governance, resigned over the plan, calling it a “bad deal for football” that would “mortgage football’s future.” Cordeiro highlighted several unanswered questions regarding the deal, including its necessity, oversight, beneficiaries, competitive process, governance, and the ultimate cost to football. Member associations were reportedly given a deadline of 19 September to approve the plan or risk missing out on additional funding.
Potential paths forward for Fifa
It appears unlikely that Infantino will resign by the end of Wednesday, as he has shown no indication of relinquishing his position. Instead, he has been working to rally support, with countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Mauritania, and DR Congo issuing statements in his favour. However, he is expected to face significant questions regarding the controversial week for Fifa.
Should Infantino choose to continue, Uefa and other confederations may explore alternative avenues to remove him. One option is for the Fifa Council to call an emergency meeting, which would require 19 of the 37 council members to request it. Doubts exist, however, about whether the necessary 19 votes could be secured.
Another possibility is an extraordinary congress of the 211 Fifa member associations, which could be triggered if one-fifth, or 43 associations, make a written request. Uefa, with 55 nations, has the power to initiate such a congress. This process would take a minimum of two months, more likely three months, and would effectively be a de facto election requiring 106 votes for a vote of no confidence. The deadline for candidates to announce their intention to challenge Infantino at the Fifa Congress in March is 18 November.
Source: theguardian.com
