FIFA’s step back, and that of its president Gianni Infantino, with the plan that sought to privatize part of its competitions, including the World Cup, has been celebrated by UEFA, the main opponent of the global body on this matter. However, the European confederation denounces that football cannot “continue like this,” “with secret plans carried out in a rush, devised by anonymous individuals and of dubious benefit to the sport.”
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“We must identify those responsible and demand that they be held accountable,” demands the entity led by Aleksander Ceferin. UEFA, which appreciates the support against FIFA from numerous football actors, as well as some “heads of state,” commits “in the coming days and weeks” to “work” with its federations and other confederations “to reflect on what happened and develop a plan to ensure it does not happen again.”
This is a victory for the entire football world. But it must not be the end of the story”
UEFA statement
“This review must be thorough and fundamental. No option should be ruled out. The current FIFA board has not only lost UEFA’s trust but also that of many other members of the football family,” warns the continental organization.
UEFA also recalls Infantino’s words before being elected president in 2016, in which he defended being “transparent” with initiatives and assured that “FIFA’s money is your money,” meaning the federations’, for the “development of football and for no other purpose.” “In both promises, he has failed. The murky, opaque, and behind-closed-doors agreement he devised and tried to impose was far from transparent,” laments UEFA.
The murky, opaque, and behind-closed-doors agreement he devised and tried to impose was far from transparent”
UEFA statement
The European body continues by pointing out that despite having “reserves exceeding 5 billion dollars,” FIFA “has also not used the associations’ money for the benefit of the sport,” so UEFA will work “immediately with partners and stakeholders worldwide and from all areas of football to propose a new way to distribute resources through the FIFA Forward program.”
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UEFA concludes that part of the money that remains inactive in FIFA’s bank account should “start being used to boost grassroots football and football in general in the 211 countries” without the need to “sell the crown jewels to finance it,” such as the World Cup.
“This is a victory for the entire football world. But it must not be the end of the story. The proposal no longer exists. The task of restoring trust in FIFA is just beginning,” concludes the confederation led by Ceferin.
For its part, the English Football Association (FA), founders of football, showed “full” support for UEFA’s stance. “The time has come to conduct a thorough and rigorous review of FIFA’s leadership and governance to ensure that football worldwide is managed transparently, for the benefit of the 211 member federations and with responsible long-term management of the sport at its core,” the British organization communicated.
