Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has added his voice to those calling for Gianni Infantino to step down as FIFA president, following the Swiss official's failed attempt to sell a stake in the World Cup. Speaking to BBC Sport, Masters criticised the proposal and backed the Football Association's decision to withdraw support for Infantino.
Masters criticises World Cup sale plan
Infantino unveiled a plan earlier this summer to sell a portion of the World Cup to external investors, but quickly backtracked amid severe criticism from governing bodies, politicians, and FIFA colleagues. The FA withdrew its support despite a grovelling apology from the president.
Masters said: "I don't think the FIFA should be ever contemplating selling off a stake in the World Cup. They're a not-for-profit organisation. They should really be holding that competition in trust for the future of football. I think it's a bad idea, and the FA have taken the right position regards to Gianni [Infantino]."
Calls for reform and new leadership
Masters suggested that an "emerging unity candidate" should have reform of FIFA on their agenda, including the president's role. "I think an emerging unity candidate should have on his or her agenda reform of FIFA, and perhaps even reform of the president's role and how it interacts with those things," he added.
His comments follow UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham's call for Infantino to be moved on. Burnham said: "My view is strengthening – this was an outrageous suggestion. The idea that it could even be brought forward, in my view, shows that the FIFA [president] is the wrong man to lead the organisation."
Concerns over red card review process
Masters also expressed worries about the decision to cancel Folarin Balogun's red card during the World Cup, following a phone call between Infantino and Donald Trump. "We worry about that particular episode, and of course we don't know what happens," Masters said.
He added: "I don't understand why FIFA doesn't have a very straightforward red card review process in place, like we do in the Premier League, for example. That I think would have been much a better way to proceed. Generally speaking, FIFA is supposed to uphold non-political inference within the game of football. In fact, it's part of its promise that it won't allow it to happen in the rest of the game. So I think it's a big issue, and it needs to be thought through properly."
