In FIFA-UEFA tussle, European body accused of ‘misinformation campaign’

FIFA accuses UEFA of attempting to influence its presidential election, in which Gianni Infantino is seeking a fourth term.FIFA has accused European football’s governing body, UEFA, of waging a “misinformation campaign” and trying to influence the race for its presidency amid a growing governance crisis in the sport.Football’s global governing body urged a court in the United States on Tuesday to reject UEFA’s ⁠⁠discovery request linked to FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s controversial investment proposal for rights to the World Cup.Last month, UEFA asked a US federal court for permission to obtain testimony and documents for use in a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against Infantino over a now-abandoned plan to transfer ⁠⁠World Cup commercial rights into a subsidiary called FIFA-forward-enterprise" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="173293" data-entity-type="organization">FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).In its response, FIFA said UEFA’s brief contained “numerous false or misleading statements about FIFA and Infantino”.“With no basis whatsoever, UEFA suggests that Mr Infantino sought to profit personally from the FFE proposal,” FIFA said in a filing in the Southern District of Florida, opposing UEFA’s motion for discovery.“As explained, the FFE plan was subject to approval ‌‌by both the FIFA member associations and FIFA Council, and FFE would have been subject to oversight by both groups within FIFA,” it said.“UEFA’s suggestions that Mr Infantino violated any law or ethical principle are categorically without merit.”UEFA alleged Infantino developed the proposal in secret with a small group of advisers and investors, bypassing the global body’s normal governance processes and failing to consult FIFA Council, regional confederations or member associations.