In a new effort to put pressure on FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, by sending a letter containing 42 detailed questions regarding issues related to the operation and governance of the World Federation.
According to Sky Sports News, the letter was sent on Monday by UEFA General Secretary Theodoros Theodoridis to his counterpart at FIFA, Mattias Grafström, with the European confederation requesting a response within two weeks.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
As Theodoridis notes, Infantino acknowledged at the meeting that mistakes had been made; however, the explanations provided have not adequately addressed a series of fundamental questions. UEFA makes it clear, in fact, that the responses cannot be deferred to the next Council meeting nor replaced by future reforms to FIFA’s governance.
The 42 questions cover 12 different topics, focusing, among other things, on the proposal to grant a share of revenue from FIFA tournaments, relationships with investment funds, the funding of national associations, and transparency regarding the president’s financial compensation.
Particular emphasis is placed on the proposed agreement with Thrive Capital, as UEFA is seeking clarification on why exclusivity was granted without prior consultation with the FIFA Council. At the same time, it raises questions about the projected valuation of the agreement, as well as whether national federations were promised increased funding as part of this specific proposal.
Also under scrutiny are reports of additional compensation for Infantino, beyond his annual salary, as well as the Balogun case, regarding which Donald Trump reportedly contacted the FIFA president requesting a review of the disciplinary case. UEFA is seeking clarification on whether there was any interference and what communication took place within the World Federation.
Questions are also being raised regarding the length of halftime in the World Cup final, the mandatory water breaks, the use of private jets and the hospitality expenses of the FIFA president, as well as the allocation of VIP seats for the tournament final.
A separate section concerns the FIFA Peace Prize, with UEFA requesting clarification on who decided to create the award and present it to the U.S. president, as well as whether there were independent selection criteria.
Finally, the letter lists ten instances that, according to UEFA, raise concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest and institutional transparency. These include the proposed agreement with Thrive Capital, reports of office leases in Trump Tower, commercial agreements and contacts linked to individuals in the U.S. president’s inner circle, as well as decisions regarding World Cup events.
At the same time, UEFA has expressed concerns about the independence of the bodies that will oversee the electoral process ahead of the FIFA presidential election in March 2027. So far, the European confederation has not put forward a candidate who could challenge Infantino for the presidency, with Arsène Wenger being cited as a possible popular choice, though he himself has not commented on a potential candidacy.
*photo source: AP
