La Liga boss: ‘Infantino’s era is over’

The war over the leadership of world football governing body, FIFA, continues to rage with the parties in the conflict digging in. While FIFA has accused some elements, led by the European football body, UEFA, and some top football officials, of a “concerted and ongoing effort” to “undermine” the organisation and its president Gianni Infantino, some stakeholders insist Infantino’s time as FIFA president is over.

Early last week, a report emerged that Infantino gave an ‘illicit severance payment’ to his alleged lover while he was UEFA general secretary, a statement FIFA described as part of the campaign of calumny against Infantino.

A FIFA spokesperson said at the weekend that Infantino “strongly denies” the allegations and that they are “categorically untrue”.

FIFA has described the allegation as “unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims,” adding that “speculation and insinuation should not be presented as fact”.

The latest events follow the displeasure in the way FIFA conducted the last World Cup in North America, particularly its decision to overturn a red card to United States’ Folarin Balogun as well as the perceived undue influence on the body by the United States’ President, Donald Trump.

Infantino has come under increasing pressure from UEFA and European football associations over his aborted FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which proposed a new company created to manage commercial and ticketing rights, with 21 per cent sold off to a private investment company.

FIFA has since dropped the idea after the uproar that followed its announcement.

UEFA has since declared a vote of no confidence in Infantino and has asked the Swiss -Italian to resign.

Yesterday, LaLiga president Javier Tebas accused Infantino of “destroying the very essence” of football and believes his time as FIFA president has come to an end.

Tebas, who has been president of LaLiga since 2013, is the latest person to call for the FIFA president to resign and thinks his position has now become untenable.

Speaking to Le Monde, he said: “For me, Gianni Infantino’s time has long since passed.

“I’m not saying this because of recent events; I have noticed this style of management for a long time, though everyone else seems to be discovering it only now.

“Gianni Infantino is not someone who contributes to the growth of football. On the contrary, his projects are destroying the very essence of the sport: the national leagues.

“Football is not limited to the elite. For me, the Infantino era is over.

“What remains to be seen is when that will take effect and how the succession will unfold. I hope it is not just a matter of swapping out some people for others, but of a genuine overhaul.”