FIFA vice president and FA chairwoman Debbie Hewitt has demanded FIFA president Gianni Infantino release all documents concerning his proposal for private investors to buy stakes in the World Cup and the controversial decision to overturn Folarin Balogun’s red card in the past summer’s tournament, sources have told ESPN.
FIFA president Infantino was forced to withdraw his proposal for private investors to buy stakes in a new subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise — which would organize future World Cups and other tournaments — after meeting widespread opposition.
In news first reported by The Times, Hewitt has written to Infantino asking him to release all background documents and files relating to the infamous sell-off plan so that FIFA council members have complete transparency on what occurred. Hewitt has also asked for all correspondence to be released to the council over the decision to overturn USA forward Balogun’s one-match suspension during last summer’s tournament. FIFA’s council next meet on Oct. 15.
The news comes on the same day UEFA vice president Laura McAllister told ESPN that Infantino’s plans to sell a stake in the World Cup “struck at the very heart of the principles of the game.”
UEFA is now taking legal action against Infantino, who has said that he will be standing for reelection next year for another four-year term as president.
“There have been a series of interventions by the leadership of FIFA which have troubled me, and troubled others in UEFA, for some time,” McAllister — who has been a vocal critic of Infantino’s leadership — told ESPN, speaking at the World Football Summit in Madrid, on Wednesday.
“There are issues around the awarding of World Cups. There are issues around human rights. Of course, there was the FIFA Peace Prize, which circumvented all of the consultation and involvement procedures that should go ahead with something that’s as politically sensitive and controversial as that.
“There was the [Folarin] Balogun red card incident [at the World Cup], and political interference directly in that case. And I think all of that coalesces around a concern for the way in which the game is being run.”
UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA tournaments if Infantino pursued the FFE plan, while CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation also voiced their opposition.
“I’m a fan as well,” McAllister told ESPN. “We’ve got their backs. I think there’s enough of us involved in the governance of football, certainly at UEFA level, who are fans or former players.
“We understand the dynamics of the game, which is why we united in such a powerful and concerted way around our opposition to FIFA Forward Enterprise, because that struck at the very heart of the principles of the game.”
Information from ESPN’s Alex Kirkland contributed to this report.
