FAW chief calls for Infantino to step down

Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney says Fifa president Gianni Infantino should step down.

Infantino has faced heavy criticism over his attempt to sell off stakes in the World Cup and other competitions to private investors.

Mooney, who previously worked alongside Infantino at Uefa, believes he must go because of the "harm that's been done to football" even though the sell-off plan has been scrapped.

"If I was sitting with Gianni right now, I would say to him he's had a very good career," Mooney said.

"As general secretary of Uefa he did very good things. At Fifa, there were things like, for example, the work Arsene Wenger has done with the technical development scheme - that have really moved forward.

"But unfortunately with this episode that took place, with the proposal to sell off the crown jewels if you will, I definitely think he should look to step down."

Earlier this month, Wales became the first home nation to withdraw backing for Infantino's bid to continue his leadership of Fifa.

Infantino has been under increasing pressure over his plan to create a new company to manage the commercial and ticketing rights of all Fifa competitions, including the World Cups, with 21% to be sold off to a private investment company.

Fifa's decision to dismiss senior executive Kevin Lamour following his criticism of Infantino has also been criticised.

In a letter to Infantino, Fifa Council member Sandor Csanyi withdrew his support, saying Lamour's dismissal was "the final straw".

"The fact that his dismissal was prompted by his criticism of the above-mentioned initiative - an initiative that you yourself ultimately acknowledged to have been misguided - points to serious shortcomings in professional judgement, ethical standards and leadership," wrote Hungarian Csanyi, one of eight Fifa vice-presidents.

Fellow Fifa Council member Dejan Savicevic, president of Montenegro's football association, said they had also withdrawn their support and that Infantino's plan "exposed concerning vulnerabilities".

"The recent developments within Fifa are extremely worrying and have shown serious lack of communication and transparency not only to the member associations... but also to the internal members, Fifa Council included, and structures which should hold the foundations of Fifa," Savicevic wrote in a letter to Fifa's secretary general Mattias Grafstrom.

Wales was one of the first nations in the world to publicly speak out against Infantino, with numerous others later following suit.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast, Mooney said the FAW has made it clear it is against the idea of Infantino continuing in his role and hopes a change will come.

"There will be lots of discussions over the next few weeks," Mooney added.

"I am hoping Gianni is reflecting right now on his position. I assume people are speaking to him right now about considering his position and stepping down.

"I think it is clear there is pressure on Gianni to consider his position, so let's see what the coming days bring."

Mooney says there needs to be a review of "the governance, the processes, the structures of Fifa" in the wake of Infantino plan.

He also suggests that "too much power that sits with one person" - the president - within Fifa's structure.

"When you are looking at a Fifa president, you are looking at someone who is that moral guardian, the figurehead of world football, and you are looking for them to operate with transparency, [for] the good of the game, collaboration and so on," Mooney added.

"There are brilliant council members at Fifa who are elected to partake in decision-making. There are brilliant staff members at Fifa. I feel sorry for them at the moment.

"But it's clear that trust is broken with many football associations around the world and only a full review that can't be led by the Fifa president will start the process of rebuilding trust."