UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC slam Infantino, say football ‘belongs to no individual’

UEFA, ⁠the Asian ​Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF, ​which runs football in the Caribbean, North and Central America, issued ​a ‌joint statement ⁠on Monday attacking FIFA President Gianni ‌Infantino over his conduct during ⁠the proposed sale of stake in the commercial ​rights to the ‌World Cup.

The statement said that Infantino had broken trust “through deception” ‌with the now abandoned proposal, ​had “placed himself above the collective” and the three confederations called for ​a fully independent review ​of what had ​happened.

“Football’s strength has always been its ​unity,” the statement concluded. “We call for that unity to be honoured now, for ⁠leadership that serves football, not seeks ⁠to ​command it.”

“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding – or demanding – power to be held,” they wrote.

“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned,” the confederations added.

Infantino has been the butt of scathing criticism ever since launching, and then withdrawing within days, a plan to bring in private investment into FIFA competitions, including the World Cups.

Read moreInfantino denies affair allegation, FIFA slams ‘concerted’ effort to weaken him

FIFA had hit back on Saturday at “a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine” football’s governing body and Infantino.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters and AFP)