FIFA has reaffirmed its support for President Gianni Infantino after a crisis meeting in Morocco over scrapped plans to sell a stake in World Cup commercial rights, while apologising to members over mistakes in handling the process.
The proposal, which aimed to sell a 20% stake in a new FIFA commercial rights entity to private investors and raise around $4.2 billion, was withdrawn last week after strong opposition from football officials and regional confederations.
Infantino faced criticism from inside and outside FIFA, with UEFA and CONCACAF saying they had lost confidence in his leadership and raising questions over his position ahead of next year’s presidential election.
Following the meeting in Rabat, FIFA said its secretary general and management board members had reaffirmed their “full support” for Infantino.
The organisation also said it had sent a letter to FIFA Council members and national associations acknowledging that the process should have been handled differently.
“It was agreed that it was not the intention for the FIFA Council and FIFA member associations to feel excluded from the process,” FIFA said, adding that it would review its approach.
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom had earlier described the events surrounding the abandoned project as a “sad and reproachable series of events”, while Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour said staff had been “deceived” over the plan.
The proposed deal triggered criticism from UEFA and other football stakeholders, who argued that such a major decision required greater consultation.
UEFA said the withdrawal of the proposal was a victory for football but warned that rebuilding trust in FIFA had only begun.
The Asian Football Confederation also criticised the way the plan was presented, saying it lacked transparency and proper consultation.
European Leagues, which represents more than 1,300 clubs, said FIFA should not continue making decisions affecting clubs, players and fans without wider involvement.
Despite the criticism, Infantino continues to have support from several football associations, particularly in regions where national federations depend heavily on FIFA funding.
Several associations, including Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Philippines, have expressed support for the FIFA president.
Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, is seeking a fourth term in office at elections scheduled for next year. No clear challenger has emerged so far.
FIFA said it would continue reviewing its governance processes following the controversy, while maintaining that the organisation’s work would continue.
Azerbaijan is seeking to attract more European visitors by improving air connectivity and raising its profile as an international tourism des...
Russia says no plague cases have been detected among contacts of a laboratory worker who died in Siberia, with most tests negative for infectious d...
Space-agency chiefs and industry leaders met to discuss lunar exploration, satellite networks and orbital security on Tuesday as a major global spa...
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Russia says no plague cases have been detected among contacts of a laboratory worker who died in Siberia, with most tests negative for infectious diseases and many quarantined people already released.
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Space-agency chiefs and industry leaders met to discuss lunar exploration, satellite networks and orbital security on Tuesday as a major global space congress entered its second day.
Police fired tear gas at protesters blockading French high schools on Tuesday as students, teachers and parents took to the streets on the biggest day of action in a wave of demonstrations against understaffed and dilapidated classrooms.
A large Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow and the surrounding region has killed two people, damaged homes and sparked a major fire at a key fuel facility, according to Russian officials and military bloggers.
Kenya has confirmed its first case of Ebola after a Kenyan citizen who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) died in Nairobi, prompting health authorities to launch an urgent contact-tracing operation.
A regional conference on Afghanistan in Moscow ended on Monday without a joint statement after Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban delegation failed to agree on wording about terrorism. It was the first time since the inaugural meeting that participants failed to issue a joint statement.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment