Concerns Over Fifa’s Direction
Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, has publicly stated that Fifa president Gianni Infantino should resign, asserting that the global football governing body is “destroying the football industry.” Tebas’s comments, made during an interview, highlighted several concerns regarding Fifa’s recent decisions and their impact on the sport.
Among the criticisms raised by Tebas were the mandatory hydration breaks implemented during the World Cup, the extended half-time interval in the final match, and the handling of a suspension for United States striker Folarin Balogun. He also voiced opposition to the potential expansion of the summer tournament to include 64 teams.
When directly asked about Infantino’s position, Tebas responded, “In my opinion, yes, I think his time is up.” However, Tebas acknowledged that Infantino maintains support from national federations, describing Fifa’s election system as “rotten at its core.” He noted the absence of opposition candidates, suggesting that individuals are unwilling to contest an election they expect to lose.
Tebas believes that despite widespread private disapproval, the current circumstances mean Infantino is unlikely to depart. He recounted hearing many individuals in America express disagreement with Infantino’s actions, yet these individuals have not taken any public steps. Tebas questioned whether the silence or complicity of these individuals was more detrimental to football.
Specific Criticisms and Their Impact
One significant point of contention for Tebas was the decision to postpone Balogun’s suspension, which allowed the 25-year-old US player to participate in his side’s last-16 match against Belgium. This intervention reportedly came from US President Donald Trump. Tebas described the suspension’s postponement as “absolutely serious,” suggesting that if Belgium had not eliminated the USA, the incident could have posed a significant challenge to Infantino’s leadership.
Uefa, European football’s governing body, had previously criticized Fifa’s decision regarding Balogun’s suspension, calling it “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.” This decision was cited as a reason for Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin‘s absence from the World Cup final.
Tebas also strongly opposed the idea of a 64-team global tournament, a possibility Infantino had mentioned during this year’s event. Tebas argued that such an expansion makes no sense and that “not everything can revolve around the World Cup.” He emphasized that national competitions are the foundation of the sport, generating numerous jobs, and criticized Fifa for making what he considers irresponsible decisions that harm the broader football industry for an event lasting only 40 days and involving a minority of players.
The mandatory three-minute hydration breaks, implemented by Fifa for all World Cup matches in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, also drew criticism from Tebas. While Fifa stated these breaks were for player welfare, critics have suggested they serve as opportunities for broadcasters to air commercials. Tebas highlighted that while La Liga also uses hydration breaks, they are only implemented when genuinely hot conditions necessitate them. He noted that some pitches in the US, such as those in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, had air conditioning, rendering the breaks unnecessary and, in his view, merely for advertising purposes.
Concerns Over Fifa’s Autonomy
Tebas further criticized the extended half-time show at the World Cup final, which featured performances from artists like Madonna, BTS, Shakira, and Justin Bieber. This show extended the usual 15-minute half-time break to 27 minutes 22 seconds. Tebas stated that Fifa arranges matters “as it pleases, for what it wants, for its own interests, certainly not for football.” He believes this demonstrates that Fifa operates without considering the wider football community’s interests, often to the detriment of the sport.
Tebas concluded that the current situation is challenging to change due to both active and passive accomplices within the system. He described individuals who criticize the system privately but do nothing publicly to address the issues. He reiterated his stance that Infantino’s tenure should end, but the existing structure of support from federations makes his departure unlikely.
Source: bbc.co.uk
Ama Serwah
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