A growing dispute within Asian football has intensified after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) defended its decision to join UEFA and CONCACAF in criticising FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Infantino has faced mounting backlash since unveiling and later abandoning plans to attract private investment into FIFA competitions, including the World Cup.
The three confederations renewed their criticism last week, declaring in a joint statement that “football belongs to no individual”. His opponents have called for him to resign over the failed proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup.
The dispute escalated after Qatar Football Association president Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani reportedly told the AFC that neither he nor the QFA had been consulted before the statement was released.
Al-Thani demanded clarification on why the QFA was not consulted and questioned the AFC’s authority to represent its 47 member associations, including Qatar.
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa rejected the criticism, insisting that his involvement was “within the legal mandate given to me in the AFC’s constitution”.
“I categorically reject any suggestion that my participation in the joint statement exceeded my authority or that the AFC erred in participating in it,” the Bahraini said in a letter seen by AFP on Tuesday.
“The AFC is the custodian of football in Asia, and its president has a responsibility to protect the interests and values of the sport,” he added.
“In circumstances such as those giving rise to the joint statement, it would be inconsistent with that responsibility to remain silent.”
The AFC, CONCACAF and UEFA have continued to oppose Infantino’s investment proposal despite its withdrawal, arguing that his leadership has created “silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness”.
Infantino has rejected calls to step down and received the “full support” of senior FIFA directors during an emergency meeting he convened in Morocco two weeks ago.
