During a FIFA Council meeting that ran more than three and a half hours in Zurich, President Gianni Infantino apologized to members for blindsiding them and sparking controversy over a private investment plan for the World Cup. However, he offered no further documents or detailed information on the issues his critics care about most.
According to FIFA Vice President Debbie Hewitt, who heads the English Football Association, when European football officials asked for written evidence regarding the US$4.2 billion share-sale plan that Infantino launched and then shelved in July, he suggested they submit their questions in writing. Hewitt stressed: "He has to answer those questions. If he doesn't, he is not fit to be FIFA president."
The meeting was the first time the FIFA Council has convened since Infantino triggered the crisis. UEFA, European football's governing body, is leading efforts to remove Infantino before or at the FIFA presidential election in March, and it made clear it was unhappy with the outcome of the meeting.
"No satisfactory answers were given," said Bernd Neuendorf, the head of German football and one of eight UEFA representatives on the 37-member FIFA Council. He added: "We need a person of integrity who can restore the reputation of the organization, which has certainly been lost."
Still, Infantino opened the meeting by apologizing to fellow council members for failing to give advance notice and for the backlash over the plan with venture capitalist Joshua Kushner. The plan was exposed by the media nine days after the World Cup final in July. Hewitt said he apologized "with a degree of regret."
In addition, UEFA has asked a court in the United States for permission to gather evidence to support a criminal complaint against Infantino in Switzerland. Court documents allege possible financial mismanagement by FIFA related to the valuation of a subsidiary expected to run the tournament's commercial rights. Under the plan, at least 20 percent of the company would be owned by investors led by Joshua Kushner — the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law and special envoy to U.S. President Donald Trump.
The FIFA Council will also consider whether to continue awarding a peace prize created to be given to Trump in December. Separately, the case of Folarin Balogun's red card at the World Cup and President Trump's intervention to help the striker was not clarified at the meeting.
