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By Tony Attwood
There are multiple issues with football that I think quite a few of us would like to see resolved, but it is probably fair to say that without change at the very top, none of these is likely to be addressed and football worldwide is going nowhere but downhill.
So it is no surprise that now there is a serious call for a change at the very top as the President of Fifa (Gianni Infantino, you may have heard of him) has been told to appear before Congress. The specific reason is to investigate the links between Fifa and the Trump administration. Fifa is supposed to be completely independent of state governments and of course vice versa.
Being called to appear before Congress is no small matter and it is possible that if Infantino stresses the independence of all government actions of Fifa, a certain amount of trouble could be brewing. Especially as Congress is starting to demand that Fifa releases details of its links with not only the American government but also the family businesses of the President of the United States. These links are sometimes unclear and can often be a matter of interest to a lot of people both in football and in the USA in general.
So there are demands that Fifa now releases details of any link between any business Trump owns or has a share in, and Fifa, and indeed Infantino. If it is seen that Trump had any influence over any business activity with which Fifa engaged that would be against the constitution of Fifa and could lead to the USA being removed from the next World Cup.
To follow this case Fifa is bnow being asked to hand over all communications between Trump and Fifa as well as details of any benefits each may have given the other. This then links to the point above about office space in Trump Tower. Any arrangement that was not at the full market rate would be unacceptable. This investigation also includes an investigation into the Fifa Peace Prize which it is suggested was linked to Fifa gaining office space in Trump Towner, and of course the infamous Balogun red card incident..
While in the past Trump has had multiple friends in American politics at all levels these seem to be deserting him, especially as the House Judiciary Committee is now investigating Infantino, and as ever with such investigation calling for all documents that might throw some light on the affair.
In 2015 the Department of Justice dismissed indictments upon members of the government of the USA into corruption in global football which included action against getting on for two dozen senior people in Fifa and marketing companies it had dealings with.
Infantino, on gaining office, removed a number of members of Fifa’s ethics committee who were opposed to his political views and in essence shut down much of the work of the ethics committee and linked himself closely with Trump.
Although the UK media has largely reported favourably on Fifa and its world cup this has not been the case in the USA where a number of issues (such as who got tickets and how) have been taken up.
This is interesting because some of the issues that are now being discussed about the WC in America do not relate to any breaking of the law or rules of Fifa, but has given Fifa an image that it does not wish to have, as having a “favoured status in the Trump administration” rather than as a servant of those who wish to organise, play and watch football matches. From this the suggestion is now being made that some of Fifa’s activities under its current chairman might be, as the newspaper says, “employing illegal price-gouging and fraudulent sales tactics for the World Cup,” as Democrat Jamie Raskin (who is leading an investigation into links between Fifa, Trump, and his family and businesses.
Infantino has rejected the criticisms of his work and has called the World Cup a success, and indeed over 200 Fifa members have shown that they will vote in favour of Infantino in the next Fifa presidential election next year. However there is opposition, which is being led by Norway.
This will almost certainly be the moment when the home nations will have a chance to show if they continue to side with the current Fifa regime who seek a new direction for Fifa under new leadership. The FA most certainly be judged by the way it votes.
