Jason Pine: The game is not Gianni Infantino's to sell
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In the last hour, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has issued a statement on his proposal to sell off a section of FIFA tournaments, including World Cups, to private investors.
When his plan came to light in the last few days, it was met with major opposition from all parts of the football family.
UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation all voiced their official opposition to it in very strong terms, threatening to boycott future World Cups unless the scheme was abandoned
Senior officials at FIFA, including Infantino's senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro, have quit in protest of both the idea itself, and the unilateral way in which it has been pulled together, without any form of consultation at all.
And the idea is now dead in the water.
The statement from the FIFA President reads as follows:
"The FIFA Forward Enterprise project was intended to provide a basis for further strengthening our FIFA Member Associations and our sport worldwide, especially in those countries where support is most needed.
“And more so, as we said from the outset, to do this only if a majority of the FIFA Member Associations were in support and always subject to a consultation process with them, the FIFA Council, the Confederations and wider stakeholders.
“Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place.
“Our purpose has always been - and will always be - to unite and improve.
“As a result, this proposal will not proceed.
“Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game, and with the objective to continue growing football everywhere, particularly in those countries that mostly need our support."
This is an enforced back-down of staggering, unprecedented proportions and a misjudgement of the highest order from Gianni Infantino, which has led to an utter humiliation for him.
During his time in the FIFA presidency, Infantino has become more and more detached from reality, to the point where he thought he was some all-powerful head of the global game and could do whatever he liked without any regard, let alone any discussion, with anyone else.
His arrogance and levels of delusion have become breath-taking.
The game is not Gianni Infantino's to sell. It is not anyone's to sell.
Those in the corridors of power at FIFA are merely guardians of the game, not the owners of any part of it. FIFA exists to administer the game and to ensure its development in all parts of the world.
But somewhere along the line, Gianni Infantino has fallen under the severe misapprehension that he is somehow bigger than the game itself.
He's not.
And this may well mark the beginning of the end for a man who has become deeply unpopular as the game's supposed global leader.
Anyone with a shred of dignity or self-awareness would now resign, but Infantino has neither, and so he won't.
Our good friend on the show, Seb Stafford-Bloor wrote today in The Athletic that this is Gianni Infantino’s Icarus moment.
The FIFA president has finally flown too close to the sun and the consequences for him may well, and should, be swift and severe.
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