UEFA is threatening to seek criminal proceedings against Gianni Infantino as they continue their efforts to oust the FIFA president.
In an explosive statement, European football’s governing body says it is ‘preparing to bring criminal claims in Switzerland against Infantino’ along with other FIFA officials following the now-dropped secret plans to sell of stakes in the World Cup.
UEFA say they will use Swiss criminal code with regards to the ‘secretive structuring, valuation, financing, and marketing’ of the controversial plans.
They have filed two filings with the US District Court – one relating to FIFA and the other to Thrive Capital – headed by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
They may also ask the authorities to establish whether Infantino, who is clinging to power, came up with a ‘fraudulently off-market price’ promoted ‘for his own benefit’.
The move comes after UEFA withdrew its plans to boycott FIFA tournaments in protest at the proposals having been given assurances there will be no repeat of the sell-off from Infantino, who is up for re-election next year.
UEFA is threatening to seek criminal proceedings against FIFA president Gianni Infantino
UEFA also point out that the Swiss code states that anyone entrusted with the management of property who is in breach of their duties and causes or permits others to sustain financial loss should be subject to a custodial sentence not exceeding three years. They add that should the offender be found to have acted with the intention of ‘securing unlawful gain for themselves or another’ a custodial sentence ‘not exceeding five years’ is among the potential punishments.
Meanwhile, national association representatives serving on UEFA’s executive committee met to discuss the situation in Monaco ahead of the Champions League draw.
Following the summit, UEFA said those present ‘unanimously mandated the UEFA President and Administration to pursue every available institutional, political and legal avenue necessary to secure fundamental reform, restore proper limits on presidential authority and ensure that FIFA is once again governed as an institution – not around one individual’.
A statement added that ‘FIFA cannot investigate itself’, said that the trust in Infantino was ‘broken’ and that trust could not be restored. It also vowed to seek a ‘credible alternative’ should he stand for re-election.
UEFA added that FIFA had ‘billions of dollars in reserves’ which ‘belongs to the Member Associations’ and vowed to explore the ‘responsible release’ of some of those reserves to associations across the world, in a move clearly aimed at drumming up support for such an alternative.
‘The abandonment of FFE does not erase the deception, intimidation and abuse of power that made it possible,’ it added. ‘Nor does it restore the confidence that has been lost.’
‘FIFA must once again be governed as an institution serving football – not operate as an instrument of individual power.’
