According to a report by Sky News in the UK on August 5th, FIFA President Gianni Infantino admitted that there were 'mistakes' during the implementation of the World Cup investment plan, and he apologized publicly for these mistakes for the first time.
According to a letter sent to various national football associations by Sky News, Antonio Infantino and FIFA Secretary-General Matthias Klesten acknowledged that there were "mistakes" during the implementation of the related plans, and they expressed "sincere apologies." The letter was signed jointly by both individuals.
According to reports, this is the first public apology made by Vanetti after he previously proposed selling some commercial rights for events such as the World Cup, and withdrew the proposal due to controversy.
On the same day, the FIFA leadership held a crisis meeting in Morocco. A statement issued after the meeting stated that the FIFA Board of Management reiterated their "full support" for Ventura. FIFA indicated that it will conduct an investigation into the incident and submit a report at the next FIFA Council meeting.
Previously, FIFA proposed a plan to sell minority shares of its commercial entities to private investors, hoping to raise approximately $4.2 billion in funds. FIFA stated that this plan could generate over $10 billion in funding for football development over the next four years.
However, this plan caused controversy after it was exposed. Some member associations stated that they had not been involved in any discussions regarding it, and the way FIA pushed forward with the plan also came under scrutiny. As criticism continued to grow, the FIA eventually withdrew the plan in early August.
This incident has put Gianni Infantino under increasing pressure. The European Football Association previously stated that it has lost confidence in the current FIFA leadership. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and other officials have also publicly criticized Infantino’s handling of the situation.
However, Ventino did not choose to resign. He previously stated that he is elected by 211 member associations of the FIFA, and that it is up to these associations to decide his future.
