Uefa demands Fifa releases documents relating to World Cup sell-off scheme
The European governing body has given Fifa a two-week deadline to release key material in a letter which also addresses other controversies including the Folarian Balogun affair, peace prize and relations with Donald Trump
Uefa has given Fifa a two-week deadline to release key documents relating to Gianni Infantino’s World Cup sell-off plan and other governance issues in its latest critique of football’s world governing body.
A letter sent to Fifa’s general secretary, Mattias Grafström, by his counterpart at Uefa, Theodore Theodoridis, is accompanied by an eight-page document that has more than 50 questions about Fifa’s handling of dozens of issues over the past 12 months. These include the proposed sale of 20% of its commercial rights, the Folarin Balogun affair, the peace prize and relations with Donald Trump and the arrangements for next year’s Fifa presidential election. Uefa’s document also makes a number of allegations about potential conflicts of interests at Fifa, as well as repeating calls for a “genuinely independent” governance review.
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Uefa’s latest intervention follows last week’s meeting of the Fifa council in Zurich, the first time it had gathered since the emergence of the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) controversy in July. Infantino listened to questions on FFE and other matters, but declined to provide substantive answers, instead asking council members to submit them in writing before their next meeting in Doha on 16 December.
In a letter sent on Monday, Theodoridis wrote: “These explanations have not begun satisfactorily to address a number of fundamental questions raised by Council members.
“Others remain unanswered, and the information and documentation requested have not been provided.
“Following the invitation made during the meeting to submit our questions in writing, we therefore enclose a consolidated set of questions and requests for information.
“We formally request a substantive written response to each question, together with all supporting documentation by Monday 2nd November. Any refusal to disclose information or documents should be justified individually, with a clear explanation of the specific grounds relied upon.
“These questions require answers now. They cannot be deferred until the next meeting of the Fifa Council – nor can future governance reforms substitute for scrutiny of decisions already taken and accountability for them.”
The accompanying document and list of supplementary questions constitutes a damning takedown of Fifa’s leadership under Infantino, who, as it stands, is on course to be re-elected unopposed as president next year, although Uefa is increasingly hopeful of identifying a candidate to take him on before nominations close on 18 November.
Uefa also wants answers on the processes behind other major decisions taken by Fifa over the past 12 months including moving the men’s World Cup draw to Washington DC from Las Vegas, the introduction of hydration breaks and the 27-minute half-time at the World Cup final.
