PARIS :European soccer’s governing body UEFA hit out at FIFA president Gianni Infantino after his late arrival at the world body’s Congress in Asuncion led to a delayed start on Thursday.
The FIFA Congress opened more than two hours later than planned after Infantino’s flight landed late in Paraguay, following his Middle East trip accompanying U.S. president Donald Trump on state visits.
Infantino opened the Congress at 12:47 local time (1547 GMT), two hours and 17 minutes later than scheduled.
Some UEFA delegates did not return after the break.
“The last minute changes to the timings of the FIFA Congress are deeply regrettable,” UEFA said in a statement to Reuters.
“The FIFA Congress is one of the most important meetings in world football, where all the 211 nations in the world’s game gather to discuss issues that affect the sport right across the world.
“Our hosts, the Paraguay FA and our partners at CONMEBOL, had gone to considerable effort to accommodate so many delegates and we thank them for their hospitality,” the statement added, before targeting Infantino’s personal agenda.
“But to have the timetable changed at the last minute for what appears to be simply to accommodate private political interests, does the game no service and appears to put its interests second,” it said.
“We are all in post to serve football; from the streets to the podium, and UEFA members of the FIFA Council felt the need on this occasion to make a point that the game comes first and to leave as originally scheduled.”
Members of the CONCACAF delegation also left early.
“I had some of my people sprinting out of here, so I don’t know exactly what the reason was, but I’m assuming it had to do with travel,” CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani said.
Mattias Grafstrom, FIFA’s secretary general, said FIFA has “an excellent relationship with UEFA and also with the European members.”
Infantino “explained the reasons why he was delayed. He had important matters to deal with, and we have had a great Congress here,” he added.
The Norwegian delegation left one of their members at the Congress in support of the Palestinian Football Association.
“The NFF Vice President and myself chose to leave the Congress venue together with several European colleagues at 14:00 as initially planned for a respectful departure,” Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness said in a statement.
“The Norwegian Secretary General Karl-Petter Loken stayed to express the Norwegian support of the case of the Palestinian FA on the Congress Agenda.”
The Palestinian Football Association has been demanding that Israel get suspended over the war in Gaza, accusing the Israel Football Association of complicity in violations of international law by the Israeli government, discrimination against Arab players, and inclusion in its league of clubs located in Palestinian territory.
FIFA said last October that it would ask its disciplinary committee to look into the allegations of discrimination raised by the PFA, but has yet to provide an update on the procedure. The IFA has rejected the accusations.
