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French football legend Michel Platini has called for the resignation of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, citing a series of scandals and rule violations that have plagued the governing body of world football. In a scathing interview with a French media outlet, Platini accused Infantino of prioritizing personal gain over the integrity of the sport.
Platini, who served as UEFA president and is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, emphasized that Infantino's failure lies in his inability to uphold the rules of the game. "Economic affairs are one thing, but Infantino has failed because he is the guarantor of the rules of the game and he didn’t respect them," Platini stated.
Infantino has faced significant criticism since his aborted plan to bring private investment into FIFA events, such as the World Cup. The proposal, which was met with backlash, sparked controversy and led to calls for his resignation. Additionally, Infantino has been slammed over several controversies during the recently concluded World Cup in North America.
One of the most contentious issues raised by Platini was the so-called hydration breaks at the World Cup, which often lasted as long as four minutes and were used by the host broadcaster for advertisements. Platini, who was UEFA’s secretary-general under his leadership, also pointed to the half-time show during the final, which overran the required maximum of 15 minutes.
Furthermore, Platini criticized FIFA's decision to suspend the red card ban given to American forward Folarin Balogun following a phone call made by United States President Donald Trump to Infantino. "The ad breaks are not in the rules, the 30-minute half-time break in the final is not in the rules, and the red card, that’s the worst," said Platini.
Since the World Cup, UEFA has threatened to boycott FIFA tournaments until Infantino scraps the FIFA Forward Enterprises plan to bring in private investment. The European football's governing body has also accused Infantino of "criminal mismanagement" over the private financing.
Other regional bodies, including the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), have joined UEFA in putting pressure on Infantino. The Swiss-Italian is hoping to run for re-election in March.
Platini, who was himself accused of fraud in 2015 when he was UEFA president, believes that UEFA should take legal action against Infantino. "If UEFA want to bring down Infantino, it will be through the courts," he said.
Regarding Infantino's character, Platini expressed his long-held belief that the FIFA president is motivated by love for money and power. "I always knew that he loved money and power," Platini added about the Swiss-Italian.
In a separate legal matter, Platini is currently suing Infantino, along with former FIFA officials Marco Villiger and Domenico Scala, in France. He is seeking compensation for damages he claims were suffered as a result of tactics used to prevent him from being elected FIFA president in 2015. Platini accuses the trio of a "criminal conspiracy to commit false accusation … influence peddling … and aiding and abetting influence peddling."
The former UEFA president's call for Infantino's resignation comes at a critical time for FIFA, as the organization grapples with its image and the integrity of the sport it governs. With UEFA leading the charge against Infantino, it remains to be seen whether the FIFA president will be forced to step down or if the pressure will lead to meaningful reforms within the organization.
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