After several weeks of extreme political tension, FIFA responded to the criticisms that questioned the leadership of Gianni Infantino and warned that it will not allow any attempt to alter the governance of the organization outside the established mechanisms. Through a statement, the entity defended the mandate of its president and emphasized that any process related to the elections must comply with its statutes and democratic procedures.
The statement came in a context of growing friction within international football, marked by the failure of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, which contemplated private participation in assets linked to the World Cup and other FIFA tournaments, and by the differences among various sectors of leadership, especially from UEFA (Europe). FIFA linked its stance to recent statements from CONMEBOL (South America) and CAF (Africa), as well as conversations held with member federations and confederations around the world.
The international body was emphatic when referring to Infantino's situation: "The president of FIFA was democratically elected by the member federations of FIFA and continues to exercise his mandate". It also stated that it will not "support, facilitate, or tolerate" any process related to the presidential election that is incompatible with its statutes, democratic procedures, and governance framework.
FIFA defended Gianni Infantino
FIFA also targeted those who, according to its interpretation, are trying to undermine the current president through accusations and versions that lack support within institutional channels. "It is increasingly evident that there is a coordinated and ongoing effort by some to undermine FIFA and its president", it noted.
In the same vein, it added: "Those who do not have the support of FIFA's member federations should not attempt to achieve, through accusations, insinuations, or misinformation, what they cannot achieve through the democratic processes established by FIFA". The statement also questioned the recent coverage of the organization and asserted that it included "unfounded claims and manifestly false accusations".
The defense of Infantino was not limited to his continuity. FIFA also highlighted his trajectory within football and emphasized the changes driven during his career. "The president of FIFA has dedicated more than 30 years of his professional life to European and global football", it stated, before underscoring his contribution to expanding access, resources, and opportunities in the sport.
For the organization, part of the criticisms stem from the resistance generated by the transformations driven by the current leadership. "Change inevitably poses a challenge to established interests, but dissatisfaction with change cannot justify attempts to undermine the democratic mandate of the president of FIFA or the institution for which he was elected to lead", it affirmed.
FIFA questioned the attacks against Infantino
The organization also established a distinction between the legitimate oversight of its management and what it considers a misinformation campaign. "FIFA welcomes legitimate scrutiny with open arms. However, scrutiny does not grant the right to distort facts, spread unfounded allegations, or invent distractions designed to undermine progress", it expressed. And it warned: "When news is inaccurate or misleading, FIFA will confront it directly and vigorously".
Finally, FIFA closed its statement with a message of support for its current administration and reaffirmed its commitment to the 211 member federations. "We will not be distracted or diverted from our role of strengthening the organization, serving our member federations, and continuing the work to make football truly global", it stated. The entity also assured that it maintains "more determination than ever" to fulfill that mission.
