Alexander Ceferin is ramping up his criticism of Gianni Infantino even further, now making it abundantly clear that the FIFA president must either step down or prepare for a real election battle.
The UEFA president launched a scathing critique of the global soccer federation’s stance and operations, describing recent behavior as “shameful” and “shocking.” At the same time, he made it clear that he himself does not intend to run for the FIFA presidency.
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“There are two options for Infantino”
Ceferin presented, in very clear terms, the landscape that, in his view, is taking shape ahead of the upcoming FIFA elections.
As he emphasized, the first option for Infantino is to realize that he no longer has the necessary support. And, as he explained, this refers not only to the votes of the national associations but also, more broadly, to the level of acceptance he enjoys within the soccer community.
The UEFA president made a special mention of the fans, the players, the former players, and the coaches, emphasizing that a president’s legitimacy cannot be limited solely to political balances and votes.
The second option, according to Ceferin, is for Infantino to run as scheduled in the March election. In that case, however, he considers it very likely that he will face an opposing candidate.
“I don’t know yet who it will be,” he noted, leaving open the possibility that a coalition could form against the current FIFA president.
Harsh Criticism of FIFA’s
Management Style Ceferin’s statements regarding FIFA were not limited to the election. The UEFA strongman also strongly criticized the way decisions are made within the world governing body.
As he noted, the institutional structure is clear. The FIFA Council decides on the most important issues, while the Congress also has specific responsibilities. Consequently, as he emphasized, the president cannot make decisions on his own.
Ceferin, however, added that FIFA’s history is rife with problems and conflicts.
“We’ve had bad experiences with this organization for 100 years,” he said, noting that from time to time, individuals emerge who behave as if they were “kings.”
“We have thwarted yet another attempt to sell out the sport”
His remarks on the commercialization of soccer also caused quite a stir.
The UEFA president stated that the most important thing was that yet another attempt to “sell out the sport” had been thwarted, adding that it is difficult to understand how anyone could treat a sport in this way—a sport that, as he said, belongs to everyone.
This statement further exacerbates the already tense relationship between the two top soccer authorities.
*photo source: AP
