Norway FA calls on Infantino to resign over failed WC plan
Norway’s soccer federation wants Gianni Infantino to step down immediately, piling more pressure on FIFA’s embattled president on Friday.
Infantino is facing a revolt after his failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.
The Norwegian federation held a meeting on Thursday, and president Lise Klaveness said the decision had been made to ask Infantino to resign.
“We decided that there is no trust in Infantino now,” Klaveness told the Guardian. “We have been worried consistently, and there has been one more step in a worrying direction every year, every part of the year. The trust is now gone for us; there is no way back for Infantino.”
The announcement is the latest blow for Infantino as the fallout continues over his controversial plan to sell profits in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).
European soccer’s governing body UEFA said Thursday its threat to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions remained in place despite FIFA abandoning and apologising for its failed plan.
It reiterated its stance that it had lost confidence in Infantino.
Earlier this week, Infantino appeared to have held off the potential of an internal revolt during a summit meeting with top staff in Rabat, Morocco.
FIFA said the president had been given the full support of those in attendance.
But UEFA’s response, followed by Norway’s direct call for him to resign, shows the sense of anger from Europe, in particular, remains strong.
The English Football Association has also withdrawn its support for Infantino’s re-election next March.
Norwegian broadcaster NRK said the national federation would also file a new complaint with FIFA’s ethics committee, which will include FFE, the peace prize awarded to Donald Trump and the suspension of Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban at the World Cup.
“We have reached a situation where extraordinary measures are needed to create lasting change,” Klaveness said.
