FIFA President Gianni Infantino continues to cause controversy. One of the FIFA vice-presidents has withdrawn his support from the world football governing body president, Gianni Infantino, who is under pressure, calling Kevin Lamur's 'unexpected dismissal' of a critic the last straw.
The position of Frenchman Lamur as Chief Operating Officer became untenable after he spoke out against FIFA's leadership last month and published a sharp statement criticizing Infantino for his now-cancelled plan to allow private investment in the World Cups.
Lamur called the sale plan a 'one-man project' and added that the FIFA administration had been 'deceived' regarding this cancelled plan. He stated: 'Our mission—the mission of hundreds of passionate, dedicated, and exemplary FIFA employees—is to serve football. The president must unite people, bring them together, and inspire them. Today we are experiencing the opposite.'
Lamur publicly expressed himself and was unconcerned about his job in the governing body, adding: 'If it means I lose my job, so be it. I will understand and accept this decision. At least I will sleep soundly tonight.'
Recently, UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC accused the world governing body of 'fundamental breach of trust' and 'deception' regarding the management of World Cup rights sales plans. These three organizations opposed Infantino.
In a letter seen by AFP on Wednesday, Hungarian FIFA Vice-President and Council member Sándor Csányi stated that Infantino 'has lost the trust I previously had in you.' Csányi, a billionaire businessman and banker, and head of the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ), wrote this letter to Infantino on Tuesday.
The letter referred to 'a number of controversial decisions' surrounding this year's World Cup, including information that Infantino was working 'on plans to transfer FIFA competitions to external parties.' It mentioned that 'Kevin Lamur's unexpected dismissal was the last straw,' which 'indicates serious deficiencies in professional judgment, ethical standards, and leadership.'
On Tuesday, European football body UEFA Vice-President Laura McAllister stated that FIFA's dismissal of Lamur sent a 'deeply worrying signal to all of us looking for change.'