Milan, July 30 (LaPresse) – “UEFA and its 55 affiliated federations are united. We unanimously and unreservedly reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership of the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors. The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and fans from every continent. No part of it should ever be handed over to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.” With these words in a strongly worded statement, UEFA firmly rejected FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan aimed at opening the door to foreign investors. “It is irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such importance for football was conceived in secret and brought almost to approval without any meaningful consultation with those entrusted with the management of this sport. This is not only a serious failure of leadership, but a true abdication of FIFA’s duty as guardian of world football,” it added. “National federations around the world now face an ultimatum: accept the irreversible takeover of the greatest football competitions or suffer the consequences. This is not a ‘democratic decision’, but governance based on intimidation – an act of coercion unworthy of an institution entrusted with protecting world football,” UEFA’s statement reads. “At the moment when external investors acquire ownership stakes in FIFA competitions, football changes forever. Commercial profit becomes a permanent obligation. Investor expectations become daily pressure. From that moment on, every decision on the international calendar, every decision on competition formats and every decision shaping the future of football is no longer driven by what best serves the game, but by what best serves shareholders. This model has no place in world football. The future of football – UEFA argues – cannot be dictated by the expectations of those whose primary duty is to maximize financial profit. Nor can the interests of national federations, leagues, clubs, players and fans be subordinated to investor profits. Football cannot mortgage its future for financial gain.” “Europe’s position is clear. We will never give our legitimacy to this model. No one has the moral authority to sell what is simply held in trust for the next generation,” the statement continues. “Following today’s discussion, no UEFA national team will participate in any FIFA competition as long as these proposals remain in place, unless they are abandoned in their entirety and binding guarantees are provided that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership. No one should have any doubt: UEFA and its national federations will oppose these plans with absolute determination,” they write from Nyon. “There are moments when institutions are judged not by what they are willing to accept, but by what they refuse to compromise. This is one of those moments. Some things are simply too important to be sold. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It belongs forever. And as long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale,” UEFA concludes.
UEFA, unanimous vote against Infantino plan: “World Cups are not for sale”
Milan, July 30 (LaPresse) – “UEFA and its 55 affiliated federations are united. We unanimously and unreservedly reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership of the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors. The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and fans from every continent. No part of it should ever be handed over to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.” With these words in a strongly worded statement, UEFA firmly rejected FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan aimed at opening the door to foreign investors. “It is irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such importance for football was conceived in secret and brought almost to approval without any meaningful consultation with those entrusted with the management of this sport. This is not only a serious failure of leadership, but a true abdication of FIFA’s duty as guardian of world football,” it added. “National federations around the world now face an ultimatum: accept the irreversible takeover of the greatest football competitions or suffer the consequences. This is not a ‘democratic decision’, but governance based on intimidation – an act of coercion unworthy of an institution entrusted with protecting world football,” UEFA’s statement reads. “At the moment when external investors acquire ownership stakes in FIFA competitions, football changes forever. Commercial profit becomes a permanent obligation. Investor expectations become daily pressure. From that moment on, every decision on the international calendar, every decision on competition formats and every decision shaping the future of football is no longer driven by what best serves the game, but by what best serves shareholders. This model has no place in world football. The future of football – UEFA argues – cannot be dictated by the expectations of those whose primary duty is to maximize financial profit. Nor can the interests of national federations, leagues, clubs, players and fans be subordinated to investor profits. Football cannot mortgage its future for financial gain.” “Europe’s position is clear. We will never give our legitimacy to this model. No one has the moral authority to sell what is simply held in trust for the next generation,” the statement continues. “Following today’s discussion, no UEFA national team will participate in any FIFA competition as long as these proposals remain in place, unless they are abandoned in their entirety and binding guarantees are provided that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership. No one should have any doubt: UEFA and its national federations will oppose these plans with absolute determination,” they write from Nyon. “There are moments when institutions are judged not by what they are willing to accept, but by what they refuse to compromise. This is one of those moments. Some things are simply too important to be sold. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It belongs forever. And as long as Europe has a voice, it will never…
