FIFA put through the wringer again
JOKE world football rulers FIFA really have washed their dirty linen in public.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is heard on a leaked audio tape complaining about having to pay for his shirt, socks and underpants to be cleaned. The 17-minute recording of the murky FIFA Council meeting before the Congress in Mexico City has Infantino moaning that the internal witch-hunt against him included demands that he pay for his own laundry while on FIFA business.
Infantino also tries to justify his attempt to dismiss the former audit and compliance chief Domenica Scala for offering him an ‘insulting’ £1.3million salary with no expenses when predecessor Sepp Blatter received twice as much in basic pay. Infantino also blames Scala, who has since resigned, for trying to engineer an ethics probe over how the new FIFA leader can afford to look for a £15m house in Zurich.
Only England’s FIFA Council representative David Gill comes out of this latest Zurich fiasco with his reputation intact.
Gill (below) is heard strongly opposing the plan to summarily sack Scala — signed by the six Confederation heads without due process — asking how could he explain such a decision to the FA.
Meanwhile, Infantino also says that the only FIFA executive meeting of which there was no audio recording is, surprise, surprise, the most corrupt one where the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes took place. ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson will be 69 in August but his daily fitness regime this week has included walking to the training ground while the players take the team bus. IPSWICH football club owner Marcus Evans, a serial offender for selling pirate hospitality packages across all major sports, is again flouting rules at Euro 2016.
British companies that are part of Evans’s empire are being sued by UEFA for their alleged involvement in the sale of unauthorised packages. A UEFA statement said: ‘The illegitimate sale of tickets at vast mark-ups takes tickets away from ordinary fans and also breaks the chain of custody for tickets that is indispensable for safety reasons.’ WHETHER psychologist Steve Peters has any effect on performances remains to be seen but at least he will be in France for the duration of England’s stay in the tournament. It was believed Peters had other duties that would mean him leaving the camp. But he has arranged his diary to concentrate on England football this month, meaning any work with the GB Taekwondo squad and his other Olympic clients will take place via Skype from Chantilly.