International Football

VEGA, INFANTINO’S LIKELY CHALLENGERS, SAYS FIFA LACKS TRANSPARENCY

Published

6 years ago

February 2, 2019

BY PAUL NICHOLSON

Ramon Vega, the former player and businessman who is challenging for the FIFA presidency, has said that lack of financial transparency would be unacceptable in any corporate boardroom anywhere in the world.

Expressing concern that FIFA’s federations have been ‘numbed’ into acceptance of being kept in the dark, he said that FIFA cannot continue to bully members into silence and that they should not be afraid to stand up and ask for accountability.

Referring specifically to the issues surrounding the $25 billion sell-off of FIFA’s international competition calendar, he said: “One of the biggest issues we have to face as a football family is the issue of financial transparency. We have a proposal before the FIFA Council for what increasingly looks like the sell-off of the international to a third-party rights holder, the identity of whom we do not know.

“When the FIFA president was challenged about the identity of the investor – potentially the future owner of the bulk of the income of international football in the way that deal was presented – he refused to say who it was. He said he signed confidentiality agreements. Then he said there was a time limit on the deal and they had to sign off,” he continued.

Having set a time limit, which wasn’t me, the idea didn’t die but came back with a task Force that FIFA president Gianni Infantino is chairing. “This is a very clear and dangerous conflict of interest. We then hear that his top lawyers had advised him that this deal could not be done. Now his head of legal has been fired. What is going on here?” said Vega.

“This is not his personal money or rights that he can choose to do what he wants with. These belong to the federation members, it is their lifeblood. Secrecy breeds distrust and that is what has happened. In the financial world this would be totally unacceptable. The board would have to stand the CEO down as they just have not been kept informed and then, when they asked, they have been refused information. It breaks every corporate governance law pretty on much every country on earth.”

If the figure is really $25 billion you would just not be able come to a deal in a serious organisation without full disclosure to the board. It is incredible that there has not been full disclosure. In any significant operation a deal the size of $25 billion is a major agreement and takes months of contractual negotiation. Just three or four months on such a big transaction is not believable. Not only is there no transparency on where the money is coming from but there is no reference to these valuations and whether they are fair or accepted valuations.”

FIFA’s Council is expected to rule on the proposal at its Miami meeting in March. Sources tell Insideworldfootball that to date while the task force has spent time working on what the new calendar would look like, there has been no discussion of the finance, its commercial valuation or transparency on the third party offer.

“The FIFA president’s responsibility is to each and every one of his members. We need to know who he is working for on this. He says he is working for FIFA, so he must work FIFA and put FIFA first – not just now but for the future,” said Vega.

Vega points out that there is key issue surrounding the ownership of football’s commercial asset as this is a handing over of ownership, not a licensing of rights deal. “This is a totally different situation. It is putting FIFA up for sale,” he said.

“There are many issues of transparency and governance that have to be discussed. The old FIFA needed to become more transparent. The new FIFA is less transparent than the old FIFA and too many members live in fear of the governing body who control their incomes.”

Talking about the election, Vega said: “The members every four years have the right to vote for a new president. It is a responsibility that must be taken seriously as it actually impacts on the lives of millions of football people worldwide. They have to be brave. FIFA is not for one person and his close associates. FIFA is for the world, we are all invested in FIFA – every single one of us. There was an opportunity to make this the case when there were the changes following the corruption scandals, but it hasn’t been taken. We need to make sure that we do not lose this opportunity.”

“We have seen a FIFA deconstructed with the power seized by a few across the whole of the organisation. We have lost too much for the wrong reasons. We must balance this and give FIFA and football back to the world properly and transparently.”

Insideworldfootball

International Football

BREAKING – Video: Osimhen accepts to join Galatasaray

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

At last, Nigeria’s striker Victor Osimhen is out of the limbo. He has accepted to join Galatasaray on loan.

He is now asking for a release clause at Napoli to become €75m instead of €130m

He also wants a break clause for January in case top clubs approach him over move.

The final points are being discussed. He has been videoed celebrating with the Turkey club’s fans.

International Football

Uruguay striker Suarez to play last international match on Friday

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez announced his international retirement on Monday, ending a 17-year career with his national team as their top scorer with 69 goals.

The 37-year-old, who has 142 caps for his country, made his international debut in 2007 and was key in the squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup and won the Copa America a year later.

“Friday will be my last match with my country’s national team,” an emotional Suarez told a press conference.

“The fact that is my decision to retire and that I’m not retired because of injuries or that they stop calling me for one thing or another, that gives me a lot of comfort, it helps me individually.

“It’s difficult but it gives me peace of mind that until the last game I have given my all, and that flame has not been extinguished little by little,” the striker added.

Uruguay take on Paraguay at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo on Friday in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup before facing Venezuela four days later.

Suarez scored the stoppage-time goal against Canada that secured third place at the Copa America in July and the striker added that one of his aims was to show he could continue to contribute to the national team.

“My dream was for my children to see me win something important with the national team … that last goal was very nice for them and even though it wasn’t a trophy to take home, it was very nice for them,” he said.

“I wanted to show people again that I can continue to contribute to the national team and, well, I had the Copa America and yes, I could have done it (retired) perfectly after that, but having analysed the situation, I want to do it with my people, in my stadium.

“I want my children to live this experience. Saying goodbye with the people here is something that I don’t know if many have done.”

Suarez has already said Inter Miami will be his last club after joining the Major League Soccer side last year to reunite with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

-Reuters

International Football

Quitting Portugal never crossed my mind, says Ronaldo

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo dismissed suggestions he had considered ending his international career in the near future, adding that post-Euro criticism did not worry him.

Portugal host Croatia in their Nations League opener on Thursday before welcoming Scotland in League A Group One on Sunday.

“That’s all from the press. It never crossed my mind that my cycle (with Portugal) had come to an end. Quite the opposite: it gave me even more motivation to continue to be honest,” Ronaldo told a press conference on Monday.

“The motivation is to come to the national team to win the Nations League … We’ve already won it once and we want to do it again. I might say the same thing over and over again, but I don’t think long term, it’s always short term.”

Ronaldo captained Portugal to success in the opening edition of the Nations League in 2018-19, three years after they became European Champions for the first time in France.

“Until the end of my career, I will always have the mindset that I will be a starter,” Ronaldo added.

“What I feel at the moment, and the coach’s (Roberto Martinez) words also demonstrate this, is that I continue to be an asset to the national team and I will be the first (to admit it) if that isn’t the case.

“When I’m (no longer) an asset I will be the first to leave. But I will go with a clear conscience, as always, because I know who I am, what I can do, what I do and what I will continue to do.”

The 39-year-old appeared untroubled by criticism he faced for failing to score at the 2024 European Championship.

“Criticism is great because if it doesn’t exist there’s no progress. It’s always been like this. Is it going to change now? It won’t,” Ronaldo said.

“So I try to follow my path, be as professional as possible, help in the best way possible with my professionalism and not just with goals, assists, discipline, and example, because football is much more than just playing well or scoring a goal.

“The people who give their opinions have never been in a locker room, and I often laugh because it’s the same thing as me talking about Formula 1.

“How can I give my opinion on Formula 1 if I don’t know anything about tires, rims or the weight of the car … It’s normal and that’s why for me criticism is good and part of it, it’s no problem at all.”

-Reuters