By Andrew Warshaw
May 5 – The head of the umbrella body for Europe’s major leagues has stepped up the war of words over Gianni Infantino’s proposal to restructure world football by accusing the FIFA president of trying to buy votes.
Twenty-four hours after the European Leagues issued its sternest warning yet over Infantino’s controversial plans, likening them to the way the “old FIFA” did business, the organisation’s usually mild-mannered president Lars-Christer Olsson claimed Infantino was putting personal ambition first in terms of getting re-elected for a second term.
“It’s a money-making exercise designed to secure being re-elected next year,” Olsson, UEFA’s former CEO, told Insideworldfootball. “It’s the easiest way of stopping anyone else from presenting a candidacy.”
Olsson says that despite the millions apparently on offer under Infantino’s plans to introduce two brand new competitions, a revamped Club World Cup and a new FIFA Nations League, the devil is in the as yet undisclosed detail.
“Nobody knows what’s in the agreement because they have signed a non-disclosure deal with the investors. It’s all very well telling everyone they are going to get a lot of money but no-one knows where it’s coming from. Plus, what will the competition authorities say about signing a contract for 12 years?”
Olsson admits that the new restructuring could go ahead without the agreement of UEFA if FIFA manages to generate sufficient support from the rest of the world. But lack of proper consultation, he says, flies in the face FIFA’s supposed new reform process.
“FIFA has installed a specific Football Stakeholders Committee which had a meeting a few weeks ago when this proposal was not presented.”
He warns the already crowded international calender will be stretched to the limit because of preparation time. “If more European clubs are going to play in a summer tournament of course it will have an effect on the calendar because they will have to start their own competitions later.”
Olsson’s body, which represents 32 leagues across 25 countries, has called on UEFA to mobilise other stakeholders in opposition to the new world order proposed by Infantino. He refutes the suggestion that the two new tournaments will restore competitive balance and that poorer nations and clubs will benefit from a much-needed financial windfall.
“The proposed new Club World Cup will actually worsen competitive balance because it will only involve a small number of elite clubs. As far as the Nations League is concerned, the top associations will gain the most money.”
Then, says Olsson, there is the question of potential corruption which for so long has plagued FIFA and which the current regime is so anxious to distance itself from. Infantino is anxious to fulfil his election promise of last year to significantly increase each member federation’s development funding but Olsson cautioned: “We need to know where the money is coming from and how it will be used.
“If FIFA want to get this through their Council and then the Congress, they obviously have to promise something for everyone. My concern is some of the money could be wrongly used. Any monies distributed should be traced and accounted for – and ends up where it should end up.”
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