Gianni Infantino’s plan for a biennial World Cup came under fire from Olympic figures on Thursday, with a claim FIFA could “create immeasurable damage” across sports.
At the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Beijing, held on the eve of the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, this view was vigorously voiced.
It was held that football could have a profoundly negative impact if the World Cup switches from being held once every four years.
The powerful European and South American confederations, UEFA and CONMEBOL, have refused to back world governing body FIFA’s plans.
But there is support from within Asia, Africa and the CONCACAF region that covers North and Central America, plus the Caribbean.
Algerian Mustapha Berraf, who serves as president of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), told the IOC congress he was firmly opposed to FIFA plans.
“The plan will create immeasurable damage and will put sports in danger and in particular football,” Berraf said.
“It will simply push away other sports and relegate them to the back benches —- which is unacceptable —- and create a rift between women’s and men’s sports.
“It will also be a setback to our aim of creating equity and parity for all sports.”
Berraf added: “I make the request to put an end to this endeavour which is incompatible with our Olympic values.”
There was also opposition expressed by Nenad Lalovic, president of United World Wrestling, and Ryu Seung Min, vice-president of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.
IOC president Thomas Bach said Infantino, who is also an IOC member, had written to him this week to advise he would not be able to attend congress.
This has thus denied members a chance to discuss the World Cup plans face to face.
“We will like to discuss this with the FIFA president, but this is not possible because he cancelled his visit to Beijing the day before yesterday (Wednesday),” said Bach.
“We should not discuss this now on a wider scale on this issue in his absence in respect for our colleague.”
Asked later in the day how he had learned that Infantino would not be coming to Beijing, Bach told a news conference the FIFA chief had blamed the pandemic.
He said: “Mr Infantino has written me a letter the day before yesterday, [in which he said] that because of the pandemic situation he would not travel to Beijing, and he would follow the session from Cameroon, where he would be for the semi-finals and the final of the Africa Cup (of Nations).”(dpa/NAN)
