UEFA has declared that FIFA President Gianni Infantino has lost the confidence of European football, despite FIFA’s decision to withdraw its controversial proposal to allow private investment in the FIFA World Cup.
The governing body made the remarks after FIFA officially shelved its FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project following widespread opposition from football stakeholders across the globe.
While welcoming the withdrawal of the proposal, UEFA said the move did not erase concerns about Infantino’s leadership.
“The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family,” the statement read.
UEFA had strongly opposed the proposal, which sought to raise up to $4.2 billion through private investment in a commercial subsidiary that would manage major FIFA competitions, including the World Cup and Club World Cup.
The European football body accused Infantino of abandoning the promises he made when he became FIFA president in 2016, including commitments to transparency and accountability.
“On both these promises, he has failed to deliver,” UEFA stated.
The organisation further criticised what it described as a lack of openness in the handling of the proposal.
“The shabby, back-room, opaque deal he hatched and tried to force through were anything but transparent,” UEFA added.
It also questioned why FIFA, despite having reserves of more than $5 billion, sought private investment instead of using existing resources to support football development.
FIFA had earlier confirmed that the proposal would no longer proceed after facing resistance from UEFA and other continental football bodies.
Source: AFP
