Irreparable Loss of Trust: German FA Chief on FIFA's Questionable Moves

FIFA had planned to establish a subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), offering 20 percent of its shares to private investors. President Gianni Infantino reportedly wrote to the 211 member federations, stating each would receive $40 million, with an initial payment of $20 million, if they supported the plan by September 19.

“From my perspective, there has been an irreparable loss of trust. The reason is the manner in which this decision was to be reached. Behind closed doors, so to speak, and using dishonest tactics to lure people in,” Rettig stated in an interview with the German weekly Stern.

Individuals close to US President Donald Trump were also privy to the plan for the new company. Joshua Kushner's company, whose brother Jared is Trump's son-in-law, was reportedly among the main investors.

“Another reason is the very nature of the proposal itself. It shows that Mr. Infantino has surrounded himself with people from outside the world of football, from the financial sector or the real economy. But you simply cannot directly apply principles from the financial sector or economics to football,” Rettig added.

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) all opposed FIFA's proposal. UEFA member countries even threatened to boycott the World Cup. Consequently, world football's governing body lacked the necessary majority support from its 211 member associations, and Infantino withdrew the plan on Saturday.

The Swiss official faced criticism from several prominent figures, ironically including former FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who led FIFA from 1998 to 2015 during an era plagued by corruption allegations.

“When he became FIFA president, replacing Sepp Blatter, we initially felt a great sense of relief. We thought things could only get better. Unfortunately, the opposite happened. I believe there has been a certain evolution. In my opinion, Mr. Infantino has invested a lot of time, money, and energy into maintaining his power structure. It's clear that many decisions primarily served to solidify his own position,” Rettig observed.

The 63-year-old German believes Infantino should no longer serve in his role. “I can only point to the statement from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). It speaks of a loss of trust. That truly says it all. When members publicly declare that they no longer trust the leadership, it's a very clear signal,” Rettig concluded, according to DPA.