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Josh Ball

Football’s three biggest regional governing bodies have released a joint statement attacking Fifa president Gianni Infantino over his conduct during the proposed sale of the World Cup and said “trust had been broken through deception”.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Uefa and Concacaf, which runs football in the Caribbean, North and Central America, said the now abandoned plan by Infantino had “placed himself above ‌the collective”.
“Leadership in football is not a possession,” the statement said. “It is not about holding – or demanding – power to be held. It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it.”
In an “open letter to the football family” the three organisations, which represent 143 of the game’s 211 member associations, called for a “fully independent third party review” of the plan to sell parts of the World Cup and Club World Cup to private equity.
Fifa had hit back over the weekend at a “concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine” its president, who has been under pressure ever since withdrawing his ill-fated plot.
The trio acknowledged the world governing body’s letter that admitted “mistakes were made”, but said that merely treated it as a “failure of communication, when what football witnessed was a failure of judgement”.

“It did not acknowledge that the proposal was inherently wrong,” the statement 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.”
The suggestion that Fifa present a report to the Fifa Council on the matter also failed to recognise that a proper review would need to be carried out by a third party.
“The Fifa administration should play no role in conducting the review,” the statement said.
After a torrid 10 days when Uefa had threatened to boycott future World Cups, and Concacaf called for a “comprehensive reckoning”, Infantino held crisis talks in Morocco last Thursday in which Fifa leadership gave him “their full support”.
According to the AFC, Concacaf and Uefa, only one elected official was present and no member associations were invited. This was not “the conduct of a custodian of the game, but of one who believes the game is answerable to him”.
“There is silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness,” the statement said. “These are not the qualities football deserves in its leadership.”
While the AFC has joined its European and North American counterparts in condemning Infantino, the region remains deeply divided when it comes to supporting the embattled 56-year-old.
Indonesia, the Philippines and Qatar have all openly said they support the Swiss lawyer, while Jordan’s football boss has been vocal in his opposition. The Football Association of Hong Kong, China, meanwhile, has not responded to a request asking where it stands on the matter.
That split is mirrored globally, with the Confederation of African Football and Conmebol, the governing body of football in South America, both squarely in Infantino’s camp.
Almost 70 of Fifa’s member associations have said publicly they will vote for Infantino with around a dozen either withdrawing previously promised support or saying they will not vote for him.


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Fifa

AFC, Concacaf, Uefa release joint statement attacking Infantino ‘deception’

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has been accused of deception by the AFC, Concacaf and Uefa. Photo: AFP

Gianni Infantino held crisis talks in Morocco last Thursday where Fifa leadership gave him “their full support”. Photo:  AFP

Will Asia turn its back on Fifa chief Gianni Infantino amid global divide in football?

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has friends around the world, including those in the South American Football Confederation. Photo: AFP

The president of the Norwegian Football Association, Lise Klaveness, is a contender to take Gianni Infantino’s job. Photo: AFP

AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa lost to Gianni Infantino in the 2016 Fifa presidential election. Photo: AP

Infantino lives to fight another day, but a full-blown football civil war is brewing

Gianni Infantino leaving Al-Madina Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, after a Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match that he attended after senior-level Fifa meeting on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Ex-Real Madrid star Luis Figo called for Gianni Infantino’s immediate resignation this week. Photo: dpa

Gianni Infantino attended a Women’s AFCON match with Mattias Grafstrom (left) on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Gianni Infantino with Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, who could be his only challenger next year. Photo: AFP

Sport

Football

Three governing bodies say Fifa president had ‘placed himself’ above the game with plan to sell off World Cup


Three governing bodies say Fifa president had ‘placed himself’ above the game with plan to sell off World Cup.


AFC, Concacaf, Uefa release joint statement attacking Infantino ‘deception’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Three governing bodies say Fifa president had ‘placed himself’ above the game with plan to sell off World Cup

Three governing bodies say Fifa president had ‘placed himself’ above the game with plan to sell off World Cup