Gianni Infantino has batted away questions about his future by making a series of bald jokes.
The embattled FIFA president was in no mood to face serious scrutiny even though weeks have passed since his clandestine plot to sell off stakes in the World Cup.
He scrapped the controversial plan after a huge backlash in the wake of The Times revealing the devious scheme, which would have banked him millions.
But the pressure is still on Infantino to step down, with UEFA saying they will boycott all FIFA tournaments until he does.
Asked by Sky News reporter James Matthews if he has betrayed football and why he won’t resign, Infantino replied: ‘You have a nice haircut, thank you so much. See you at the hairdressers.’
Both Infantino and Matthews are bald.
Gianni Infantino brushed off questions from reporters about his future with a series of bald jokes
The FIFA president quickly darted to a nearby vehicle to dodge questions posed by Sky News reporters
In July, news broke Infantino was considering selling parts of the World Cup to private investors and forming a new company in a deal that could have been worth around £15billion.
The Times’ report added that Infantino could become the commissioner of that company once his role at FIFA ends in 2031, a highly lucrative position that estimates suggest could pay him more than $50million-a-year.
Infantino’s blueprint for the potential selling of stakes had been discussed among senior FIFA figures and potential investors, which could have included Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared – and they signed non-disclosure agreements.
Bank JPMorgan was said to be handling the process and the Donald Trump administration is understood to have been consulted.
Earlier this month, Infantino was given the ‘full support’ of FIFA’s top brass after summoning executives to crisis talks in Morocco.
He summoned senior FIFA officials to the Moroccan city of Sale for crisis talks after plans to sell £3.1billion in World Cup stakes leaked last week
The Swiss football administrator has since scrapped the proposals after widespread opposition – including an internal rebellion at FIFA.
UEFA and CONCACAF – the body for North and Central America and the Caribbean – are both calling for Infantino to step down, with Europe declaring a lack of confidence in the FIFA president.
Infantino is facing mounting pressure over his failed plan to sell off stakes in the FIFA World Cup but has refused to resign
Luis Figo branded Infantino as a ‘relic who should have no part in football’s future’ in an explosive article for Daily Mail Sport
Pressure grew further after Jordan FA president Prince Ali bin Hussein accused him of blackmail, becoming the first Asian nation to rebel against the FIFA president.
Jordan became the 91st member association to move against Infantino, assuming all UEFA and CONCACAF nations follow the stance set by their continental bodies. One hundred and six nations are needed to depose Infantino as president.
Portuguese legend Luis Figo wrote an explosive column for Daily Mail Sport demanding Infantino’s resignation.
Figo described the now aborted World Cup sell-off as the ‘lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed’ and a ‘grubby, underhand plot’.
Across 600 no-holds-barred words Figo, who had initially backed Infantino in 2015, brands the disgraced exec a ‘relic who should have no part in football’s future’ and accuses him of ‘a litany of abuses’, also referencing the now-infamous suspension of the ban behind Folarin Balogun’s red card and the half-time show at the World Cup final which ‘broke the laws of the game’.
‘Infantino has debased the office of FIFA President that he promised to elevate,’ the former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan star writes. ‘He has lied, deceived and tried to feather his own nest at the expense of the game he is supposed to serve.’
Figo, now 53, is viewed by many as a potential successor to Aleksandr Ceferin, head of UEFA which is leading the war against Infantino.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login