FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been urged to stay away from a youth football tournament in the Dominican Republic this weekend, amid growing concerns over the crisis surrounding his leadership of world football’s governing body.
Concacaf President Victor Montagliani, who is also a FIFA vice-president, made the request in a letter seen by the BBC, asking Infantino to reconsider attending the CFU Under-14 Series.
Montagliani said Infantino’s presence could distract attention from the tournament and undermine its technical and developmental objectives.
He said the ongoing controversy surrounding FIFA’s governance would likely attract significant media attention and shift the focus away from the young players participating in the competition.
Infantino was invited to the Dominican Republic as a guest of the country’s government, with the invitation reportedly issued before the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal that has intensified pressure on his presidency.
Despite Montagliani’s appeal, Infantino received a warm welcome upon his arrival in the Caribbean nation.
Dominican Republic Sports and Recreation Minister Kelvin Cruz also praised the FIFA president’s visit, saying it could create opportunities for the growth and development of football in the country.
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The CFU Under-14 Series is among the youth development projects supported through FIFA’s Forward programme.
Infantino has faced mounting criticism following his now-abandoned proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors.
Several football associations have subsequently withdrawn their support for the Swiss-Italian administrator, while UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation accused him of breaking trust “through deception” in an open letter.
FIFA has also come under scrutiny over the dismissal of senior executive Kevin Lamour after he criticised Infantino.
However, Infantino continues to enjoy the backing of South American football governing body CONMEBOL and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), while several Concacaf nations have also supported his bid to remain FIFA president for a fourth term.
The latest controversy comes as pressure continues to mount over Infantino’s leadership and the direction of FIFA ahead of the organisation’s next presidential election.
