ZURICH (AP) 鈥� FIFA’s chief operating officer, , has reportedly left his role at soccer’s governing body just weeks after saying its president, Gianni Infantino, had deceived staff with his
Lamour, who is based in Zurich, all but invited Infantino to fire him in a statement to The Associated Press on Aug. 1 that defended his colleagues amid intense fallout from the plan to sell stakes in future World Cup profits to private equity funds.
Lamour wrote that staff were 鈥渄eceived鈥� by Infantino鈥檚 lack of openness in planning. He released the statement on the say day Infantino鈥檚 senior adviser, Carlos Cordeiro, decided to walk away and described the $20 billion commercial subsidiary plan as 鈥渁 bad deal for football.鈥�
Britain’s Press Association late Monday quoted a FIFA spokesperson as saying: 鈥淔IFA can confirm that the working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as FIFA鈥檚 Chief Operating Officer has ended.鈥�
鈥淔IFA thanks Kevin for his two years of service and wishes him the best of luck for the future. No further comment will be made on the matter.鈥�
Infantino is seeking reelection as FIFA president but remains under pressure after the heads of three continental confederations 鈥� for Europe, Asia and for North, Central America and the Caribbean 鈥� issued an open letter last week saying his World Cup plan was a 鈥渇undamental breach of trust鈥� and described it as 鈥渄eception.鈥�
Infantino after a furious backlash by global soccer officials, including European body UEFA, which has of a boycott of all FIFA games and events.
Some national federations have withdrawn their support for Infantino, although the heads of six Arab soccer federations last week expressed their 鈥渇ull support鈥� and 鈥渃onfidence鈥� in the president.
Infantino has been FIFA president since 2016 and, until the backlash over the so-called FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, seemed sure to be reelected unopposed next year in Morocco. FIFA has set a Nov. 18 deadline for challengers to come forward.
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