UEFA has requested a US federal court to grant permission to obtain testimony and documents from FIFA entities in Florida, which will be used in a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino. This move is part of UEFA's preparation for potential criminal proceedings against Infantino and other FIFA officials over a now-abandoned plan to transfer commercial rights linked to major tournaments into a new subsidiary. The plan in question involved creating a new entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would have taken control of commercial rights for the men's and women's World Cups and the Club World Cup.
However, UEFA alleges that Infantino developed this proposal in secret, working with a small group of advisers and investors without consulting FIFA's Council, regional confederations, or its 211 member associations. According to UEFA, the proposal was worked on for over a year before being unveiled on July 28. The organization claims that FIFA's statutes give the Council sole authority to decide how the organization's commercial rights are promoted.
UEFA also states that Infantino designated an investment vehicle controlled by Joshua Kushner to lead an investor group in the proposed deal. UEFA's request to the US court is aimed at obtaining documents and witness testimony that could be relevant to understanding how the proposed transaction was conceived, structured, and approved. The organization believes that FIFA entities in Florida may possess important information related to the case.
The planned case against Infantino in Switzerland is based on allegations of criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code. UEFA and other interested parties are preparing claims against Infantino, who they accuse of secretly developing the proposal without following proper governance procedures. As the situation unfolds, UEFA's actions indicate a strong stance against what they perceive as improper handling of FIFA's commercial rights.
The outcome of the US court's decision on UEFA's request and the subsequent developments in the planned Swiss case will be closely watched by the football community. In terms of numbers, the proposal was allegedly developed over a period of more than a year, and the unveiling took place on July 28. The case is significant, with UEFA and other parties preparing claims under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code.
The context of this situation involves the governance and management of FIFA's commercial rights, which are crucial for the organization's financial well-being. UEFA's allegations suggest that Infantino may have bypassed established procedures, leading to concerns about transparency and accountability within FIFA. What happens next will depend on the US court's decision regarding UEFA's request for documents and testimony.
If granted, this could provide UEFA with valuable evidence for their planned case against Infantino in Switzerland. The football world will be watching closely as this legal battle unfolds.
