FIFA’s decision to dismiss the senior official who accused Gianni Infantino of misleading staff with his World Cup investment scheme has sparked criticism from Norway soccer president Lise Klaveness. Klaveness called the removal of FIFA’s chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, “unacceptable” and urged other leaders within the organization to resist potentially harmful directives.
The move to fire Lamour came 17 days after his public critique of Infantino’s $20 billion private equity plan, which was swiftly abandoned following the criticism. Klaveness expressed her dismay over Lamour’s dismissal, labeling it as “management by fear” and highlighting Lamour as “the best football administrator” she has encountered.
As a former Norway international player and an elected executive committee member at UEFA, Klaveness emphasized the importance of FIFA leadership not succumbing to directives that do not align with the best interests of football, specifically mentioning FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström.
Lamour, who had a longstanding professional relationship with Infantino, voiced his concerns regarding Infantino’s leadership, triggering a crisis for the FIFA president. The backlash from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF was a result of a secretive proposal to sell future World Cup profits to investors, led by Joshua Kushner.
Lamour’s statement on July 31 shed light on the lack of transparency surrounding the failed project, stating that FIFA staff had been “deceived” and deserved better treatment. Despite facing consequences for his actions, Lamour stood by his words, emphasizing the need for soccer leaders to make ethical decisions.
Klaveness clarified that Lamour’s departure was a termination rather than a resignation, indicating that Grafström may have been influenced by pressure from the president. FIFA expressed gratitude towards Lamour for his service while Klaveness lauded his intervention as necessary to halt the controversial project.
Infantino, following a meeting in Rabat, Morocco, received internal support from senior management, with a FIFA statement acknowledging past mistakes and reaffirming backing for his presidency. Klaveness criticized the atmosphere of fear within FIFA and questioned its alignment with football’s best interests.
Prior to the controversy surrounding Infantino’s proposed “FIFA Forward Enterprise,” his reelection in Morocco next year seemed assured. However, the deadline for potential challengers to enter the race is set for November 18.