UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin reportedly boycotted the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina in protest against FIFA, according to The Times. The Slovenian, who also serves as one of FIFA's vice-presidents, was absent from the showpiece finale, while Donald Trump and various other prominent figures attended the match.
Breakdown in Relations
Ceferin's non-appearance is said to stem from a breakdown in relations between the two governing bodies. The immediate trigger was the Folarin Balogun controversy, where FIFA chose to suspend a red card sanction for the United States forward following his dismissal, reportedly after an intervention from Trump, rendering him available to face Belgium.
UEFA issued a scathing statement following FIFA's ruling, calling it a breach of integrity. The statement read: "Yesterday's decision to suspend for a probationary period of a year the implementation of the one-match automatic suspension following the red card issued to the player Folarin Balogun crossed a red line."
UEFA's Statement on Integrity
The statement continued: "Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not. A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted."
UEFA emphasized the importance of consistent rule enforcement: "When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined. Equally, such decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require an equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition."
Other Controversies
This is far from the only significant ruling FIFA has made in recent months to rankle the UEFA chief. These include the proposed expansion of the World Cup to 64 teams, half-time entertainment shows, and steep ticket prices for the tournament.
Further controversy arose surrounding Somalian referee Omar Artan, who was refused entry into the US ahead of the tournament's kick-off. Following that ruling, UEFA appointed him as the official referee for the Super Cup clash between PSG and Aston Villa later this summer.
Potential Presidential Challenge
Rumours have also circulated throughout the summer that UEFA could put forward a rival candidate to challenge Gianni Infantino at the next FIFA presidential election, with the Italian previously expected to run unopposed. The incumbent FIFA chief has made clear his intention to seek a third term, yet there is mounting backing for alternative candidates from within UEFA.
