Infantino Told To Release FIFA World Cup Deal Documents Or Face Leadership Questions

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been urged to release documents relating to his abandoned World Cup commercial rights proposal and answer outstanding questions or face further challenges to his leadership.

The demand followed a three-and-a-half-hour FIFA Council meeting in Zurich earlier today, October 15, the first since details of the secret FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal emerged.

The proposal, which Infantino abandoned within days of its disclosure, would have transferred part of FIFA’s commercial rights to a private investment firm.

Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, who also serves as a FIFA vice-president, said Infantino apologised during the meeting but failed to answer questions raised by council members.

“One of the disappointing things is that we didn’t get answers to anything that we had specifically requested; for example, getting the papers from FFE,” Hewitt said as quoted by the BBC.

“I asked the question ‘why not?’ and we were asked to submit those questions in writing.

“I think the man has to answer those questions and if he doesn’t answer those questions now, he’s not fit to be FIFA president, and that was what was shared in the meeting.”

Hewitt acknowledged Infantino’s expression of remorse but questioned the sincerity of his apology, particularly his failure to present the proposal to the council before it became public.

“Then there were no holds barred in terms of what we felt about what had happened,” she added.

“What he really apologised for was not bringing it to the council. If you regret it that deeply, share it with us.”

The meeting also considered other matters, including the suspended red-card ban involving United States striker Folarin Balogun, the FIFA Peace Prize and funding for national football associations.

Meanwhile, European football’s governing body, UEFA, has maintained its opposition to Infantino’s leadership. It has repeatedly called for him to step down and has prepared criminal legal proceedings against him.

UEFA has also filed claims in three United States courts seeking the release of all documents relating to the FFE proposal.

Asked whether Infantino’s apology had changed her position, Hewitt said she had received no new information to alter her assessment of the situation.

“From my position, nothing has shifted. I’ve no new information that makes me feel any differently, other than we do have an apologetic president,” she said.