UEFA has given FIFA until 2 November to release key documents and answer 42 questions concerning its governance and decision-making, increasing pressure on president Gianni Infantino to provide a full account of several controversial decisions.
In an eight-page letter, UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis said FIFA had failed to address several fundamental questions raised at a FIFA Council meeting last week.
Infantino apologised at Thursday’s meeting over his World Cup sell-off plan but did not provide a comprehensive explanation of how the proposal was developed.
UEFA demands answers over key decisions
The questions cover several issues, including private investment in FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), the FIFA Peace Prize and the controversial suspended ban imposed on United States striker Folarin Balogun at the World Cup.
Theodoridis said FIFA’s decision to withdraw FFE, acknowledge mistakes and announce potential governance reforms did not explain how the relevant decisions were reached or why the FIFA Council was not involved at the appropriate stage.
The withdrawal of FFE, the acknowledgement of mistakes and the announcement of ‘potential governance reforms’ do not answer how the relevant decisions were taken or why the Fifa Council was not involved at the appropriate stage,” the letter stated.
UEFA also insisted that any refusal to provide requested information or documents must be justified individually, with FIFA explaining the specific grounds for withholding each item.
The letter warned that the questions could not be postponed until another FIFA Council meeting and that future reforms would not replace accountability for decisions already made.
FIFA faces pressure from football officials
UEFA has not specified what action it might take if FIFA fails to meet the 2 November deadline.
The questions were initially put to Infantino during last week’s FIFA Council meeting, where concerns were raised about transparency and the handling of key decisions.
Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, who is also a FIFA vice-president, delivered a pointed assessment after the meeting.
“If he doesn’t answer those questions, he’s not fit to be FIFA president,” Hewitt said.