Wenger rubbishes Infantino sell-off plan as senior Fifa figures desert president
Fifa development chief Arsene Wenger has denied any involvement in the doomed sell-off plan that has left president Gianni Infantino fighting to save his job.
Wenger said he only heard about the proposal – to raise $4bn from selling stakes in a new commercial vehicle that would manage the World Cup to private investors including members of Donald Trump’s extended family – through the media and called the decision to scrap it following a furious backlash “absolutely necessary and beyond question”.
The former Arsenal manager is now the third senior Fifa official to distance themselves from the project, leaving the embattled Infantino looking increasingly isolated.
Wenger said: “At Fifa, I am the Chief of Global Football Development. Together with my team, I oversee the data analysis of the game, the Fifa online training centre, the development of youth education through 60 academies across 60 countries where they are most needed, and youth competitions around the world. In addition, I am a technical adviser to IFAB.
“I was not involved in this strategic plan and first became aware of the project through media reports. The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question, because I firmly believe in an independent Fifa that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity.”
Fifa No2 Grafstrom laments ‘sad and reproachable’ events
Wenger’s statement came after Infantino’s second in command, general secretary Mattias Grafstrom, also slammed the sell-off plan in a leaked internal email reported by Sky News.
“A sad and reproachable series of events – which were thankfully concluded with the FFE [Fifa Forward Enterprise] project permanently abandoned – for as much as we feel dismayed by them, should not overshadow this reality,” Grafstrom wrote.
“We have all been thrown into the middle of a turmoil, which is difficult to comprehend and accept, but, as Secretary General, I urge you to remain focused on what has always united us: serving football and serving our 211 Member Associations, hand in hand with all relevant stakeholders and in full compliance with the Fifa Statutes and Fifa Regulations.”
On Friday Fifa’s chief operating officer went public with his own concerns, calling Infantino’s plan “the project of one person” and claiming he and others had been kept in the dark on it.
COO Kevin Lamour added: “The time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions.”
European nations have led the revolt against the sell-off and voted unanimously last week to boycott future World Cups unless the plan was abandoned permanently.
Infantino shelved it at the weekend but has so far refused to bow to calls for him to quit after 10 years in charge and ahead of next year’s presidential election.