Fifa sacking ‘deeply troubling’ – Uefa executive

Uefa executive Laura McAllister has denounced Fifa's decision to fire senior executive Kevin Lamour, describing it as "deeply troubling." Lamour had been the chief operating officer at Fifa until his dismissal on Monday evening. He had previously accused Fifa's president, Gianni Infantino, of misleading the organization over a plan to sell stakes in competitions to private investors.

The move came just over two weeks after Lamour's statement, which alleged Infantino had been "deceived" about the project. Uefa executive committee member McAllister, who worked with Lamour at the European football governing body, released a statement praising Lamour's leadership and courage. She emphasized that his dismissal sends a negative message to those seeking change in football administration.

McAllister noted that Lamour was a principled leader who prioritized the values of respect, independence, transparency, and sound governance. She also highlighted the recent loss of confidence in Infantino by Uefa, as well as the open letter released by Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation, and Concacaf accusing Fifa and Infantino of breaking trust.

McAllister stressed that the loss of a leader of Lamour's caliber undermines the opportunity to shift the culture at Fifa and reset the organization on sporting values, rather than commercial and financial ones. She emphasized that world football needs strong, principled, independent leaders who are willing to speak up, challenge when necessary, and stand by their values and those of the global game.