Uefa’s Ceferin tells Infantino football has no need for ’emperors’
Aleksander Ceferin says football is bigger than those who govern it, stressing that they are custodians, not owners, and have no right to sell its future.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin rebuked Fifa president Gianni Infantino over his unsuccessful plan to sell World Cup stakes to private investors, asserting that football does not require "emperors." Ceferin emphasized that the sport is greater than its governing bodies, stating that they are simply guardians, not owners. He reiterated Uefa's opposition to Infantino's proposal, which aimed to establish a commercial subsidiary called Fifa Forward Enterprise.
Uefa has previously threatened to boycott Fifa-organized tournaments and is currently pursuing legal action in Florida to obtain documents related to the failed plan. Ceferin likened Infantino's situation to the emperor in Hans Christian Andersen's tale, "The Emperor's New Clothes," warning against convenient words masking uncomfortable realities.
He urged for an end to the situation, highlighting that money should not dictate the game's direction. Numerous top European clubs have distanced themselves from Infantino's re-election bid, with Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al-Khelaifi supporting Ceferin's re-election and calling for strong leadership to safeguard the sport.
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- Uefa’s Ceferin tells Infantino football has no need for ’emperors’ freemalaysiatoday.com
