Oceania Football Confederation declares support
The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has announced its support for Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president. This declaration follows calls for his resignation from other confederations, including UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The OFC’s stance was made public after a meeting of its executive committee in Fiji, where it praised the progress made by FIFA over the last decade.
The OFC is the smallest confederation in global football, comprising 11 full members. Its support for Infantino comes as he faces a leadership challenge ahead of next year’s presidential election. The OFC’s position completes a symbolic division in world football, with the Confederation of African Football and Conmebol (South America) also backing Infantino.
The OFC executive committee welcomed FIFA’s decision to withdraw the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal and its commitment to review the issues surrounding the project. The confederation stated that it recognises the advancements in football development in Oceania under FIFA’s leadership and encourages FIFA to use the review to identify and implement necessary changes.
New Zealand breaks ranks
Despite the OFC’s declaration, New Zealand, the confederation’s largest member, has withdrawn its support for Infantino. New Zealand Football (NZF) has called for an independent review of the Fifa Forward Enterprise plan, aligning with the demands of the three other confederations.
NZF stated that decisions and actions within FIFA have contributed to a breakdown in trust and increased division in international football, necessitating an independent review to restore confidence. The organisation believes this moment presents an opportunity for all FIFA member associations to advocate for stronger governance, accountability, and transparency.
Andrew Pragnell, the NZF chief executive, explained that the decision to withdraw support was based on the organisation’s values. He emphasised that those connected to the game globally deserve to know NZF’s position, highlighting New Zealand’s tradition of leading with its values and prioritising fans and the football community.
Reactions to the FFE proposal
The FFE proposal, which aimed to manage all commercial rights of FIFA competitions, faced significant opposition. UEFA issued a statement rejecting the proposal, asserting that the World Cup should not be treated as an investment product and should not be surrendered to private investors. Many member associations protested the proposal, particularly the offer of an additional payment for early acceptance.
Concerns were also raised within FIFA’s senior echelons regarding the lack of consultation. Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to the FIFA president, resigned, stating his opposition to the proposal, which he described as a bad deal for member associations and the future of football. Mattias Grafström, FIFA’s secretary-general, referred to the FFE plans as a “sad and reproachable series of events.”
Arsène Wenger, FIFA’s chief of global development, deemed the withdrawal of FFE “absolutely necessary.” Kevin Lamour, FIFA’s chief operating officer, characterised FFE as “the project of one person” and indicated that the organisation itself had been “deceived.” The global players’ union, Fifpro, accused Infantino of a “profound abuse of presidential power.”
The global condemnation culminated on 1 August, when UEFA unanimously voted to boycott all FIFA competitions until FFE was “abandoned in its entirety.” With Concacaf and the AFC also rejecting the scheme, Infantino subsequently withdrew the proposal. On 10 August, UEFA, Concacaf, and the AFC issued a joint open letter accusing Infantino of “trust broken through deception,” stating that without binding assurances that FIFA would never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership, UEFA remains committed to its tournament boycott.
The Norwegian Football Association (NFF) called for Infantino’s resignation, with NFF president Lise Klaveness stating that trust had been lost. While UEFA achieved endorsement from all 55 of its member associations for the threat to withdraw from FIFA competitions unless the FFE plans were abandoned, unity regarding Infantino’s candidacy is not universal, with some blocs potentially fragmenting. Mexico, for instance, has broken ranks with Concacaf by stating its support for President Infantino’s leadership.
The OFC had delayed releasing its statement until two days after its executive committee meeting, which took place on Wednesday.
Source: theguardian.com