The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is preparing a criminal complaint against FIFA President Gianni Infantino. According to infohub.kz, the move comes in response to Infantino's plans to sell part of FIFA's tournament rights to private investors.
According to the sports news agency SID, citing a 60-page document, the complaint will be filed in a Swiss court. The FIFA chief could face up to five years in prison. Other officials and consultants of the organization may also become defendants in the case.
UEFA has already asked US courts to provide necessary documents, including from FIFA and the investment company Thrive Capital, which was slated to be the main investor in Infantino's plan. It is reported that these materials could be used as evidence in a potential criminal case in a Swiss court.
The publication also reports that UEFA received written guarantees from FIFA that such schemes would never be proposed again. Following this, on August 27, UEFA decided to end its boycott of FIFA tournaments.
Earlier, FIFA had formed a project to sell the rights to the men's, women's, and club World Cups to private investors. In response, all UEFA members declared a boycott of FIFA tournaments until the initiative was fully abandoned. UEFA's position was supported by the confederations of the Americas and Asia. They also criticized FIFA for a lack of transparency in shaping the new commercial concept.
Amid the scandal, it became known that a FIFA advisor was dismissed in protest. UEFA even developed a plan to hold its own version of the World Cup. After that, FIFA abandoned the controversial plan to sell World Cup rights.
Recently, FIFA's leadership expressed support for Infantino and acknowledged mistakes in the World Cup rights sale project. FIFA also claimed there were attempts to undermine Infantino's authority. The US Soccer Federation called for changes in FIFA's governance structure, issuing a joint statement with several other football associations. On August 18, it was announced that FIFA's Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Lamour, had been dismissed.