UEFA sends FIFA's Infantino 42 questions, sets Nov. 2 deadline
UEFA has demanded answers and documents from FIFA President Gianni Infantino by Nov. 2 over a scrapped investor plan, ties to Donald Trump's circle and a lifted World Cup suspension.
Archive image · Photo: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (cropped and resized)
UEFA has sent FIFA President Gianni Infantino a list of 42 questions and given him until Nov. 2 to respond, according to a letter obtained by the German news agency dpa. European soccer's governing body also requested supporting documents, saying a series of "decisions, transactions and interventions" raised questions about possible conflicts of interest.
The questions focus on a since-abandoned plan to sell 20% of the commercial rights to the World Cup and other competitions to investors for more than $4 billion. According to reports, UEFA also asks about dealings with Joshua Kushner, the brother of President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, the lifting of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun's red-card suspension before the World Cup, and the FIFA peace prize awarded to Trump. Withdrawing the plan did not explain how the decisions were made, the letter said, adding that the questions now needed answers.
UEFA has also asked U.S. federal courts to approve subpoenas for documents and sworn testimony about the "FIFA Forward Enterprise" plan. Infantino is seeking re-election in March; UEFA has yet to nominate a challenger ahead of a mid-November deadline.