Norwegian FA files complaints against FIFA president Infantino

Norway’s football federation has lodged two formal complaints against FIFA president Gianni Infantino, alleging possible abuse of power and conflicts of interest.

The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) submitted the complaints to FIFA’s Ethics Committee and its Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee (GACC), focusing on three controversial matters involving Infantino.

They include his abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) investment plan, the decision to suspend US forward Folarin Balogun’s World Cup ban after an alleged intervention by Donald Trump, and the FIFA Peace Prize awarded to the US president.

The first complaint filed on Tuesday “asks the Ethics Committee to examine the conduct of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and any other individuals identified through the investigation for potential breaches of FIFA’s Code of Ethics”.

The second complaint to the GACC “asks whether FIFA’s governance, financial oversight, internal controls and decision-making processes (have) worked as intended”.

NFF president Lise Klaveness, who has repeatedly criticised Infantino, told The Times that Trump provides a common link between the three controversies.

The FFE proposal was expected to attract investment from a venture capital company linked to Josh Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Infantino introduced the plan following the success of the World Cup co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States in July. It would have enabled private investors to take stakes in a company established under the FFE initiative.

The proposal, however, faced intense criticism and Infantino withdrew it within days.

“FIFA Forward Enterprise is a governance issue but it’s connected to the two other cases because (of) conflict of interest and abuse of position, potentially,” Klaveness told The Times.

“There is a line between all these three cases and it’s the same political regime.”

Klaveness, a former Norway international, argued that Infantino should provide answers about the transparency surrounding FIFA’s decision-making.

Balogun received a red card during the United States’ last-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, which initially ruled him out of the following World Cup match against Belgium.

FIFA subsequently lifted the suspension, a decision that attracted widespread criticism after it emerged that Trump had spoken to Infantino by telephone.

Infantino’s presentation of FIFA’s Peace Prize to Trump in December has likewise attracted considerable ridicule.

“These are three very different factual cases, but they all have something in common that we want examined,” Klaveness said.

“Is it an abuse of power, an abuse of position? Is it a breach of political neutrality?

“Is it in accordance with the rules of governance, as the FIFA Council should be the strategic body, and the president shouldn’t really have any unilateral power?”

Infantino faces growing opposition

Klaveness, 45, urged Infantino to step down in August and withdraw from the race for a fourth and final term.

Infantino, 56, has nevertheless confirmed that he intends to seek re-election at the FIFA Congress in Rabat next March. So far, no rival has officially entered the race.

The Swiss administrator, who became FIFA president in 2016, must win a majority of the 211 votes available from FIFA’s member associations. Candidates have until November 18 to declare their bids.

Klaveness has said she will not contest the election, although former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and others have suggested she could be a strong candidate.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has also ruled himself out.

UEFA has been particularly vocal in its criticism of Infantino, describing the FFE proposal as “a shady and opaque backroom deal”.

Victor Montagliani, the Canadian president of CONCACAF, is regarded as the most likely challenger. CONCACAF, UEFA and the AFC have formed an alliance opposed to Infantino.

Support for the FIFA president remains strong in other regions, however. While several UEFA associations have publicly withdrawn their backing, AFC members Saudi Arabia and Qatar — hosts of the 2034 and 2022 World Cups respectively — have pledged their support.

CAF and CONMEBOL are also backing Infantino.

Meanwhile, UEFA has taken legal action in Florida to gain access to documents concerning the failed FFE plan. The organisation wants to gather material that could potentially be used in a criminal complaint in Switzerland, where both UEFA and FIFA are headquartered.

FIFA has rejected UEFA’s actions, accusing the European governing body of a “misinformation campaign” and claiming that it is trying to “influence” the election.

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