New Delhi, 18 August (H.S.):

FIFA, world football’s governing body, has parted ways with its Chief Operating Officer (COO), Kevin Lamour, following his criticism of FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to investors.

FIFA staff were informed of the decision through an email from the organisation’s Secretary General, Mattias Grafström. The email stated that FIFA and Lamour had mutually agreed to end their working relationship.

According to BBC Sport, a FIFA spokesperson said, “The working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as Chief Operating Officer ended on 17 August 2026. FIFA thanks him for his two years of service and wishes him all the best for the future.”

Lamour’s departure comes after he openly questioned Infantino’s proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to investors. Infantino subsequently abandoned the plan following strong opposition from several major football organisations, including UEFA, the AFC and Concacaf.

Lamour had described the proposal as “a one-man project” and alleged that FIFA’s administration had been “misled” over the plan.

“Our mission—the mission of hundreds of dedicated and passionate FIFA employees—is to serve football. A president should bring people together, unite and inspire them. Today, we are experiencing the opposite,” he had said.

Lamour had also made it clear that he was prepared to face the possibility of losing his position over his criticism.

“If that means I lose my job, so be it. I will understand and respect that decision. At least I will be able to sleep peacefully that night,” he had said.

UEFA, AFC and Concacaf Had Opposed Plan

UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC had also strongly criticised FIFA over the proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup.

In a joint statement, the three organisations described the proposal as a “fundamental breach of trust” and accused FIFA of engaging in “deception”.

The statement stressed that the issue was not merely about a particular proposal, but concerned “the integrity of the sport and the integrity of those entrusted with governing it.”

The organisations also maintained that leadership in football was not the personal property of any individual, but a responsibility to serve the entire football community. According to them, when trust is broken through deception and an individual places himself above the collective institution that entrusted him with authority, it amounts to an abandonment of the responsibilities of leadership.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar