Klaveness Accuses Infantino’s FIFA of ‘Management by Fear’ After Executive Firing/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. mansour/ J. Mansour/ Norwegian soccer president Lise Klaveness accused FIFA of “management by fear” after it fired chief operating officer Kevin Lamour. Lamour had publicly criticized Gianni Infantino’s failed $20 billion private equity proposal, saying FIFA employees were deceived and subjected to contempt and intimidation. The dispute has intensified pressure on Infantino ahead of the November deadline for challengers in next year’s FIFA presidential election.
Quick Look
- FIFA fired chief operating officer Kevin Lamour on Monday.
- Lamour had criticized Infantino’s private equity plan.
- The proposed project was valued at $20 billion.
- It would have sold investors a stake in future World Cup profits.
- Joshua Kushner led the investor group.
- Investors would have paid $4.2 billion for a 20% stake.
- Each of FIFA’s 211 member federations could have received $20 million.
- Lamour said FIFA employees had been “deceived.”
- He also cited “contempt and intimidation.”
- The project collapsed hours after his July 31 statement.
- Lise Klaveness called Lamour’s removal unacceptable.
- She accused FIFA of “management by fear.”
- FIFA said it thanked Lamour for his service.
- Senior managers later reaffirmed support for Infantino.
- Infantino had appeared likely to run unopposed next year.
- Potential challengers must enter the race by Nov. 18.
Deep Look
Klaveness condemns FIFA firing
GENEVA — Norwegian soccer federation president Lise Klaveness condemned FIFA’s removal of Kevin Lamour, the senior executive who accused President Gianni Infantino of deceiving employees over a proposed World Cup commercial deal.
FIFA fired Lamour as chief operating officer late Monday.
His departure came 17 days after he issued a statement to The Associated Press criticizing Infantino’s $20 billion private equity project.
The proposal collapsed only hours after Lamour spoke publicly.
“Now he is thrown out and we are supposed to move on. It’s unacceptable, it’s management by fear,” Klaveness told the AP.
She described Lamour as “the best football administrator I have ever met.”
Klaveness urges officials to resist orders
Klaveness called on FIFA executives and staff to oppose instructions that could harm the sport.
“Now we also have to call upon FIFA leadership and the administration to not submit to orders you know are not in the interests of football,” she said.
Her appeal was directed particularly toward FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström.
Klaveness suggested Grafström had dismissed Lamour under pressure from Infantino.
“This is a firing situation, it’s not a resignation,” she said, suggesting Grafström was “obviously being pressured by the president.”
Klaveness has governance credentials
Klaveness is a former Norwegian international soccer player and a judge in Oslo.
She also serves as an elected member of UEFA’s executive committee.
Norway has long promoted stronger governance and accountability within international soccer.
Klaveness has built on that reputation by challenging decisions at FIFA and urging elected officials to scrutinize the organization’s leadership.
Lamour was a longtime Infantino ally
Lamour had worked alongside Infantino for many years.
The two served as senior UEFA officials from 2007 to 2015.
Lamour later joined Infantino’s campaign team when he successfully ran for FIFA president in 2016.
Two years ago, Lamour moved from UEFA to FIFA headquarters in Zurich, where he became responsible for much of the governing body’s operations.
His criticism carried additional weight because he was considered a trusted administrator and longtime Infantino associate.
Private equity plan provokes backlash
Infantino’s plan sought to sell a portion of future World Cup profits to private investors.
A group led by Joshua Kushner proposed investing $4.2 billion in exchange for a 20% stake in a new FIFA commercial entity.
The project carried an implied value of approximately $20 billion.
The investment would have financed proposed payments of $20 million to each of FIFA’s 211 national member associations.
Those federations effectively own FIFA, a nonprofit organization that already holds multibillion-dollar reserves.
Federations faced September deadline
FIFA member associations would have faced a mid-September deadline to accept the proposal.
The secretive process triggered resistance from several major regional soccer organizations.
UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and North America’s CONCACAF opposed the initiative.
Critics objected to the lack of transparency and the prospect of transferring a share of future World Cup revenue to private investors.
Lamour says staff were deceived
In his July 31 statement, Lamour said FIFA employees had been “deceived” because Infantino failed to disclose sufficient information about the proposed transaction.
He said staff members “deserve better than contempt and intimidation.”
Lamour urged soccer leaders worldwide “to make the right decisions.”
“If that means I lose my job, then so be it. I will understand and respect that decision. At least I’ll sleep well tonight,” he said.
His warning proved prescient when FIFA removed him less than three weeks later.
Klaveness says intervention stopped project
Klaveness argued that Lamour’s public statement was crucial to defeating the private equity proposal.
“His statement was necessary to kill the project,” she said. “He said something that was obvious, that was very important that someone within the staff told us the story so that we knew it was not FIFA, as such, but one person.”
Her remarks placed responsibility for the failed initiative directly on Infantino rather than the broader FIFA administration.
FIFA offers brief statement
FIFA did not address Klaveness’ accusations or explain the circumstances of Lamour’s departure in detail.
The organization issued a short statement acknowledging his exit.
FIFA “thanks Kevin for his two years of service and wishes him the best of luck for the future,” it said.
The statement did not characterize the departure as either a dismissal or resignation.
Klaveness insisted that Lamour had been fired.
Infantino excludes Lamour from meeting
Infantino summoned senior FIFA managers to a meeting in Rabat, Morocco, without Lamour.
After the Aug. 5 gathering, FIFA apologized for errors surrounding the proposal.
The organization said the managers attending the meeting “reaffirmed their full support” for Infantino’s presidency.
Klaveness questioned whether that declaration reflected genuine support.
“We all got reports in Morocco, we know it’s a management of fear,” she said. “It’s not in football’s best interests.”
FIFA election deadline approaches
Before the controversy over the “FIFA Forward Enterprise” proposal, Infantino appeared likely to secure reelection without opposition.
The presidential vote is scheduled to take place next year in Morocco.
Potential challengers have until Nov. 18 to enter the contest.
The failed commercial plan, criticism from confederations and Lamour’s firing could encourage opposition to Infantino or weaken his previously secure position.
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