UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has hit out at FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Burnham is a long-outspoken advocate of fan causes and has been particularly vocal in his criticisms of FIFA, going all the way back to their award of the 2018 World Cup to Russia.
And Burnham believes that FIFA’s plans to involve private investors in future editions of its competitions – including the World Cups – is yet more proof that Infantino is not fit to lead the governing body.
Andy Burnham: Gianni Infantino is ‘wrong man for job’
The plans have led all UEFA nations to announce a boycott of FIFA’s international competitions until the plans are scrapped, with CONCACAF and AFC also voicing their opposition.
That led FIFA to issue a statement on Friday morning insisting their consultation period will continue as planned, with some suggestion that it the process might even be accelerated.
Burnham said on Friday: “This (FIFA’s plan) was an outrageous suggestion.
“The idea that it could even be brought forward shows that, in my view, [he] is the wrong man to lead the organisation.”
As it stands, FIFA’s plan looks destined to fail.
UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC nations comprise over half the votes among FIFA’s members, with 50% approval required if the matter were put to a vote.
However, FIFA currently seem to be banking on the hope that some members of those confederations may secretly be in favour of the plans, or could be persuaded to get on board.
What happens next is anybody’s guess, but Infantino is now under significant pressure.
A FIFA presidential election is due to be held next year, but his opponents will be hoping not just to get the plans scrapped, but to oust Infantino from the post as soon as possible.
Infantino could yet retain the support of other confederations that are more reliant on FIFA funding.
