UEFA has announced plans to file a criminal complaint against Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, over allegations stemming from his proposal to sell 20% of the commercial rights for competitions under FIFA’s governance to a private investor for €4 billion.
UEFA claims that Infantino devised this plan for personal enrichment and to benefit the private investors he attracted. The impending legal action is focused on allegations of fraudulent management of funds. UEFA has initiated procedures in the United States to gain access to documents related to Infantino’s proposal.
Legal Proceedings Against Infantino Considered
According to a 56-page document from UEFA’s legal representatives, “UEFA and its legal representatives are considering initiating criminal proceedings in Switzerland against Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials for mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Penal Code.”
The document states, “In reality, it was a vehicle for Infantino and his close circle to acquire a permanent stake and profit from FIFA’s most valuable assets, to the detriment of FIFA, its members, and other entities within the football family.”
Infantino reportedly promoted this plan following a hastily convened internal FIFA meeting just days prior, where a limited number of officials and staff—some of whom had never heard of the plan—were given only hours to approve an unprecedented billion-dollar scheme, as reported by BBC journalists.
Furthermore, UEFA believes that the actions involved would not have undergone independent verification and were to be sold at a price lower than fair market value. UEFA also asserts that the 55 member countries within the organization could have been adversely affected by Infantino’s plan.
It’s noteworthy that FIFA’s president abandoned the controversial plan on August 1, following significant criticism from world football leaders, including UEFA.
