UEFA holds firm on FIFA boycott

AP

European football’s governing body has maintained its threat to boycott FIFA competitions despite FIFA’s apology for its failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.

UEFA yesterday reiterated that it had lost confidence in FIFA president Gianni Infantino and said conditions for withdrawing its boycott threat had not been met.

“UEFA’s associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non-participation in FIFA competitions,” it said in a statement. “First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn, and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.

“These conditions have not been met. In addition, UEFA made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino’s presidency. That position holds.”

It was another bruising day for Infantino, with global players’ union FIFPRO accusing him of “a profound abuse of presidential power”. The English Football Association also withdrew its support for his re-election, and Amnesty International said the “current crisis spotlights the need for governance reforms”.

FIFA and Infantino sought to present a united front following a high-level summit in Morocco on Wednesday, announcing that the president had the full backing of senior staff in attendance.

The world governing body also apologised for errors made over its controversial plan to sell World Cup profits through a commercial subsidiary and pledged to “ensure they do not happen again”.

FIFA said it hoped the meeting would “help restore confidence” after the turbulence caused by Infantino’s abandoned project, which drew widespread condemnation.

UEFA had voted to withdraw from FIFA competitions if the plan went ahead. Even after Infantino’s climbdown, Europe’s governing body said it had lost confidence in FIFA’s leadership — paving the way for a challenge to his presidency.

In its defiant statement, UEFA insisted that its stance remained unchanged.

“Yesterday’s announcement that some people employed by the FIFA president (and whose careers depend on his favour) agree with him changes nothing,” it said.