Uefa’s intention to launch a legal suit accusing Fifa president Gianni Infantino of “criminal mismanagement” is a “massive escalation” of their feud, a former marketing director of the International Olympic Committee told AFP.
Uefa, European football’s governing body, has urged Infantino to resign over his now-abandoned plan to bring private investment into the World Cup.
On Thursday, Uefa withdrew “on a provisional basis” its threat to boycott Fifa tournaments, but not before dropping a bombshell by announcing it was “considering legal action arising out of and in connection with the FFE plan proposed by Fifa.”
“Uefa and other interested parties are preparing to bring criminal claims in Switzerland against Infantino and possibly other Fifa officials and advisors for criminal mismanagement,” read the legal document drawn up by Uefa’s US-based lawyers and to be filed in a court in Florida.
For Michael Payne, former head of marketing at the IOC, this could prove to be devastating for Infantino.
“Uefa’s legal threat, going after Infantino and Fifa for ‘criminal mismanagement’ is a massive escalation — a move no member federation has ever undertaken against a governing body for over a century,” he told AFP.
“Discovery, if the papers are ever released, will not paint a pretty picture, and open up a whole new focus around Infantino’s leadership and governance — or lack of.”
Terrence Burns, who served as brand and marketing strategist for two successful World Cup host bids, said it could affect Infantino’s hopes of being re-elected to a fourth and final term in Rabat next March.
“I think the legal threat is the better weapon of the two,” he told AFP.
“A boycott hurts the players and the fans, and it could make Infantino look like the victim.
“Going the legal route does the opposite because it’s aimed at him personally, not at the game, and it keeps the story alive on a timetable Fifa cannot control.
“And that’s the real point!
“It could run through the November nomination deadline (November 18 for candidates to declare) and into the March vote.”
‘Civil war’
Infantino has stayed put despite the onslaught of criticism from Uefa and two fellow confederations including Concacaf, whose Canadian president Victor Montagliani is viewed as the likeliest challenger.
Neither Payne nor Burns are surprised, with the former saying: “Infantino has no choice but to tough it out — he has nowhere else to go.”
Burns, who has played a pivotal role in five successful Olympic bid city campaigns, says Infantino has an invaluable weapon.
“I think time is on his side, not Uefa’s,” said the American.
“Every week this drags on is another week he’s the president, meeting heads of state, doing deals, handing out the things a president can hand out.”
Burns believes the 56-year-old Swiss incumbent seems to have the numbers to be re-elected.
“It’s 211 votes, not three confederations, and he’s spent 10 years building that base one federation at a time,” said Burns.
“Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Mexico, most of Africa, and much of the Gulf are already with him.
“I think he’ll fight to the last day because fighting is the only strategy.”
Payne, who is credited with overhauling the IOC’s brand and finances in two decades as marketing supremo, says Infantino should learn from history.
“There is a very real risk of civil war — does that mean break away — or non-stop pressure on Infantino, paralysing his leadership, until he has no choice to eventually resign, as (Sepp) Blatter was forced to after his re-election,” said the 68-year-old Irishman.
Burns is more circumspect about the divisions.
“I’d stop short of civil war,” he said.
“Nobody wants to break the World Cup — too much money is riding on it, for everyone.
“To me, it feels more like a family feud over who runs the business, but it’s real, and it won’t fix itself.”
Burns, though, believes the two camps will learn you can’t always get what you want.
“The good news is a deadline is looming, and it is called the month of March,” he said.
“This cannot go on indefinitely; I think it will get solved in a way that leaves everyone with slightly less than what they wanted.
“As a pal of mine always says, ‘Welcome to the work week, boss; that’s how things get done!’”
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