FIFA, already notorious for allegations of corruption and bribery, has once again made headlines—this time due to a foolish proposal by Gianni Infantino. Infantino, who has effectively become Trump’s lapdog and takes orders from him, decided to turn FIFA into a highly profitable commercial enterprise and sell a stake in it to a relative of Trump; he attempted to sell this idea by dressing it up in rhetoric about democracy.
It immediately became apparent that this decision was yet another instance of the corruption and bribery that have long plagued FIFA, and UEFA declared the move unacceptable. Subsequently, the UK’s Football Association (FA), followed by the federations of Germany, France, and Spain, announced their opposition to the plan.
UK PM Andy Burnham went even further, stating that Infantino ought to resign. However, it is unlikely that someone who has become Trump’s puppet possesses the dignity required to resign voluntarily; the only remaining option is to wait for him to lose the election scheduled for March.
After football federations across Europe voiced their objections and threatened to boycott FIFA, Infantino abruptly reversed his decision overnight, abandoning the plan to “Americanize” the organization. Infantino’s scheme—which involved selling a 20% stake in FIFA to an associate of Trump for $4.5 billion—was not merely about business; it was driven by a desire for immense personal wealth and a bid to cement his grip on power indefinitely. One wonders how many millions the company would have paid Infantino as a reward had the sale gone through, and how much of that money would have ended up in the pockets of his relatives, close associates, and friends. Ultimately, this scheme would have allowed Infantino to remain FIFA president for the rest of his life. Regarding Infantino—who bent over backwards during the World Cup to ensure Argentina became champions and Messi the top scorer—we said the following at the time: FIFA has run its course. First and foremost, Europe must take action to establish a new organization; there is no possibility of expecting anything positive from an entity mired in corruption and bribery.
We are saying the same thing today. Because there is no chance of recovery for clubs steeped in corruption and bribery. Even if Infantino leaves following the elections in March, nothing will change.
By the way, let’s also say this: Trump taints everything he touches. He molds it in his own image and turns it into a hub of corruption. We might say the American people deserve better, but actually, they don’t.