Ghana FA Ditches Infantino, Uefa's Boycott Plans Still On
The Ghana Football Association has followed the lead of European governing body Uefa in withdrawing its support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino. This move comes in the wake of Uefa's statement that conditions for Infantino's presidency have not been met.
Infantino's Plan Aborted
FIFA's proposal to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors has been abandoned, but Uefa remains unconvinced. In a statement, Uefa said that its conditions for Infantino's presidency had not been met, despite Infantino's plan being aborted.
European teams could still boycott competitions, including the World Cup, as Uefa says Fifa's defence of its president, Gianni Infantino, "changes nothing." The English FA has sent a letter withdrawing its support for Infantino in reaction to the plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
Uefa's Conditions Unmet
Uefa's statement said that its conditions had not been met, despite Infantino's plan being aborted. The conditions include the withdrawal of proposals to sell off the major competitions and assurances that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.
"These conditions have not been met," Uefa's statement said. Uefa has already said it has lost confidence in Infantino, calling the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal a "shabby, back-room, opaque deal." Infantino had offered all associations $40m (£30m) if they backed a proposal for private investment in its tournaments, including the men's and women's World Cups, through the FFE subsidiary.
FIFA's Response Falls Short
FIFA has been approached for comment, but its response has failed to address Uefa's concerns. The governing body said that mistakes regarding FFE were "acknowledged" and that an apology was made, but there was no direct accountability for the controversy.
Uefa's statement in response added that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino's presidency. That position holds. Yesterday's announcement that some people employed by the Fifa president (and whose careers depend on his favour) agree with him changes nothing.
Boycott Remains Uefa's Key Asset
Uefa is in something of a pickle as it tries to get rid of Infantino. The easiest route to success was the slow turning of the vice throughout this week, hoping to exert enough pressure to force him to quit. Yet the Swiss appears to have no intention of walking away.
European football looks like an outlier, struggling to gain enough support to topple him. On Thursday, Lamin Kaba Bajo, the president of the Gambia Football Federation, praised Infantino's "courage" and for the U-turn, and said he was "willing to give him my support more than ever." Only Jordan, one of the few countries which did not back Infantino before last week, has publicly stated it will not vote for his re-election in March.
What's Next for Uefa?
Uefa has kept on the table the option of a vote of no confidence, which it can trigger via an extraordinary congress any time it wishes. However, it would need a majority of FIFA's 211 member associations – 106 votes – to pass the motion. It would be a de facto presidential election, but the outcome remains uncertain.
The Ghana FA's decision to ditch Infantino is a significant blow to his presidency, but it remains to be seen whether Uefa's boycott plans will come to fruition. With the World Cup just around the corner, the stakes are high, and the football world waits with bated breath to see what happens next.
Source: Joy Online
