FIFA has accused UEFA of running a "misinformation campaign" over Gianni Infantino's World Cup private-investor scheme. Legal documents submitted on FIFA's behalf to American courts stated that it would have constituted a "dereliction of duty" had Infantino failed to examine the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which he was eventually compelled to shelve after UEFA and two other continental confederations rejected it.
Legal filing in South Florida
The submission, obtained by the Press Association, was lodged with the District Court of South Florida, where FIFA is contesting a UEFA motion seeking the release of documents connected to FFE. The filing dismisses any implication that Infantino would have benefited personally from FFE, noting that the scheme would have required approval from FIFA's 211 member national associations as well as the FIFA Council.
UEFA stands accused of submitting the application "for the purposes of harassment, rather than out of any legitimate need for discovery. That alone is an independent basis for denial".
Dispute over valuation
Perhaps the most damaging allegation levelled by European football's governing body in its initial discovery application is that FFE received a "fraudulently off-market" valuation of $20billion. FIFA has now responded by asserting that UEFA has confused equity value with enterprise value. It maintained the enterprise value was "more than twice" that of the equity value.
"UEFA would have learned all of this had it bothered to verify its assertions before publicly decrying the proposal or filing in federal court," the FIFA filing said.
Presidential election concerns
Despite the collapse of FFE, UEFA has declared it has lost faith in Infantino, and is actively seeking a credible rival candidate to challenge him in next year's presidential election. FIFA's legal submission raises concerns over the timing of UEFA's court application, highlighting that the deadline for candidates to be put forward falls on 18th November.
"This court should reject any attempt to influence FIFA's presidential election based on these grounds," the filings state. UEFA have been approached for comment.
