Soccer Rebels: A Scathing Letter Against FIFA: “Trust Betrayed Through Deception”
In recent weeks, FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, have come under fierce attack, and on Monday they faced yet another affront. UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC have pointed the finger at the international governing body of soccer, deciding to publish a joint letter.
“Soccer is the world’s greatest shared passion. It belongs to no individual and no institution,” the letter states. “It belongs to the players, the fans, the clubs, the federations, and every institution tasked with safeguarding its future. It is in this spirit, as confederations representing our members, that we speak collectively today.”
“This is not about money. Nor is it about questioning the support that each federation has earned, despite the fear-mongering campaigns directed at our members to suggest otherwise. Nor is it about reconsidering the expansion of competitions, the allocation of World Cup spots, or any other decision made collectively. These decisions were made together and must remain in effect.”
“This is about something more fundamental: the integrity of soccer and the integrity of those elected to lead it. When trust is betrayed through deception, when a single person places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty is forfeited. In its recent letter to the vice presidents and the 211 member associations, FIFA acknowledges that mistakes were made. It calls them a communication error, when in reality what the soccer world has witnessed was an error in judgment. A proposal put forward on short notice, without adequate consultation, and submitted by a deadline that prevented the federations from properly reviewing its terms, is not the result of an oversight, but rather of a strategy aimed at limiting oversight.”
“FIFA has also committed to submitting a comprehensive report on these events to the FIFA Council, once again failing to acknowledge that proper governance, in the face of such a serious lapse in judgment, would require that this investigation be conducted by a completely independent third party—and not by FIFA itself, its staff, or any other entity involved in the world of soccer. The FIFA administration should play no role in conducting the investigation.”
“There is silence where there should be accountability, and distance where there should be transparency. These are not the qualities that soccer deserves in its leadership. That is why we have taken this stance: not lightly and not alone, but together, and out of a sense of duty to the sport we serve. The strength of soccer has always been its unity. We call for this unity to be honored now with leadership that serves soccer, rather than seeking to dominate it,” concludes the strongly worded statement.
