UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has launched a scathing attack on FIFA president Gianni Infantino as the war of words between both parties escalates.
The relationship between the two leaders collapsed last month over a highly controversial FIFA proposal.
Infantino reportedly plotted to sell a stake in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. This revelation immediately sparked a bitter civil war in global football.
UEFA, backed by confederations in Asia and North America, is demanding an immediate leadership change. Meanwhile, African and South American governing bodies have firmly allied themselves with Infantino.
The relationship between Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, and Aleksander Ceferin, UEFA President, has gone sideways. (Photo by Harry Murphy – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Things has now gotten heated as Ceferin intensify his campaign to remove Infantino from power following a fierce speech at the European Football Clubs (EFC) assembly in Copenhagen.
Addressing senior club executives, Ceferin rubbished recent FIFA claims of transparency, insisting that convenient words cannot disguise an uncomfortable reality.
”Perhaps the moral of this story is convenient words cannot change uncomfortable reality,” Ceferin said, as quoted by The Athletic. “Now world football has heard some very convenient words recently – development, democratisation, consultation – words used, in fact, to describe their opposite.
”Selling part of football’s future does not become development because you say it is development. Putting a fait accompli in front of national associations does not become democratisation because you call it democratisation, however big the cheque is. And secrecy does not become consultation because you call it consultation.”
President of FIFA Gianni Infantino (L) and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin (R) pose during the 49th UEFA ordinary Congress. (Photo by PREDRAG MILOSAVLJEVIC/AFP via Getty Images)
Ceferin also condemned Infantino’s controversial decision to award a FIFA Peace Prize to Donald Trump last year, noting it was created without board input.
”Then that same political leader calls during the biggest competition in the world to complain about a decision on the pitch,” he added. “The rules say one thing, the phone rings, the decision changes. How many times would this have to happen at your club before the board says enough?
”Well, my friends, I think it is time to say enough. Football has no need for emperors and it has no place for courtiers. Those of us who govern this game come and go. We are custodians, not owners. Football is not for sale. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.”
Despite the continuous backlash, Infantino remains determined to secure a fourth four-year term as FIFA president. He is currently scheduled to stand for re-election at the global body’s congress next March in Morocco.
