CORNERFLICK
The Royal Dutch Football Association has said it no longer trusts FIFA president Gianni Infantino and wants major reform of the organisation’s governance, not just a change at the top.
KNVB wants wider changes
In a statement, the KNVB said FIFA needs new leadership, but argued that replacing the president alone would not be enough. It also raised concerns about too much power being concentrated in the FIFA presidency and called for a clearer split between the president’s authority and the organisation’s wider structures.
The Dutch FA said football carries social responsibilities as well as sporting ones. It argued that human rights and sustainable development should be built into FIFA’s biggest decisions, including World Cup host selections and commercial activity.
Backlash follows earlier FIFA project
The criticism comes after Infantino’s proposal for a company called FIFA Forward Enterprise drew wider reaction in football. The plan would have put some of FIFA’s major men’s and women’s competitions under the management of the proposed company.
FIFA estimated the project could generate about $4.2bn in new revenue. But several confederations and football bodies raised concerns about greater concentration of power, and UEFA, Concacaf, the Asian Football Confederation and Conmebol did not announce support for the idea.