Governing Bodies
FIFA BOSS, INFANTINO TAKES HIS FORMER BOSSES; BLATTER, PLATINI TO COURT!
FIFA under Gianni Infantino is set to take legal action against former President Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini in a bid to recoup the CHF2 million (£1.5 million/$2 million/€1.8 million) paid to the ex-UEFA head in 2011.
Infantino was General Secretary of UEFA during Platini’s presidency of the confederation. By extension, he was also answerable to FIFA under Sepp Blatter.
Now, he has axe to grind with his former bosses.In a statement, FIFA confirmed it had filed claims in the relevant Swiss courts against the two officials “seeking restitution of the CHF 2 million unduly paid to Mr Platini back in February 2011”.
FIFA’s Governance Committee passed a resolution last month that the organisation should pursue recovering the funds, which have not been repaid.
The payment led to Blatter and Platini being banned from football for eight years, reduced on appeal to six and four years, respectively.
Blatter, who led FIFA for 17 years before he resigned days after being re-elected in May 2015, and Platini – touted as the successor to the Swiss before he was banned – both claim the payment was made under an oral agreement for work the Frenchman carried out for Blatter between 1998 and 2002.
FIFA’s Ethics Committee dismissed this argument and said it was a “gift” or “undue payment”, a ruling upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
In its decision in Platini’s case, the three CAS judges said they were “not convinced by the legitimacy” of the payment.
Former France international Platini, who served as UEFA President from 2007 to 2015, is able to work again in the sport after his ban expired in October.
But the 64-year-old will first have to pay a fine of CHF60,000 (£46,000/$61,000/€55,000) if he is to return to any role in football.
Blatter, who quit as FIFA President amid an unprecedented corruptions scandal at the worldwide body, is still serving his six-year ban, which expires in October 2021.
A criminal investigation into the payment continues, although no charges have yet bee brought by Swiss prosecutors.
FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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The supporters of Vancouver Whitecaps, a professional football (soccer) club in Canada, have staged a protest outside the FIFA Congress on Thursday, voicing fears that the Major League Soccer club could be relocated as uncertainty deepens over its ownership and long-term future.
The club is one of Canada’s most historic football institutions and has long been a central part of Vancouver’s sporting identity.
Around 100 fans gathered as delegates arrived for the annual FIFA meeting in Vancouver, chanting, singing and waving club flags in a show of solidarity. The demonstration comes just days after Vancouver Whitecaps FC revealed difficulties in securing a buyer willing to keep the club in the city.
The Whitecaps disclosed earlier this week that “stadium economics, venue access and revenue limitations” have complicated efforts to sell the club, despite a 16-month search for new ownership.
Season ticket holder Derek Hawksworth said supporters felt compelled to act amid growing fears of relocation.
“I wanted to come down given the threat of the team possibly moving,” he said. “It’s a rich history with the Whitecaps in North America… we want Vancouver to stay and not relocate. The history is here, and we want to continue with that history moving forward.”
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional football (soccer) club based in Vancouver, Canada. They currently compete in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-tier league in the United States and Canada.
Concerns were heightened by reports that cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are leading contenders should the club relocate.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has urged intervention, calling on the provincial government — which owns BC Place — to negotiate a “bridge deal” that would allow the team to remain while plans for a new stadium are explored. The club’s current lease at BC Place expires at the end of the year.
Despite the off-field uncertainty, the Whitecaps have been one of the standout teams this MLS season. They currently sit second in the Western Conference with 24 points from nine matches, just three points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
For supporters, however, performances on the pitch offer little comfort as the future of their club hangs in the balance — a situation they hope global football leaders gathering in Vancouver will not ignore.
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