Barely five months at the helm of world’s football governing body, Gianni Infantino’s leadership style is being questioned.
Internal FIFA memo questions Infantino's governance style
#Qatar Football: Infantino governance, lifestyle slammed in FIFA memo: It also questioned Infantino's lifesty… https://t.co/otxZXEaOiq— Qatar Flights (@qatarflights) July 3, 2016
The FIFA president has come under criticism from insiders at the body. In an 11 page memo dated May 23 and published online by a Swiss weekly newspaper, the unidentified author of the memo also questioned Infantino’s lifestyle.
The memo which was sent to Sindiswe Mabaso-Koyana, the acting chairperson of FIFA’s audit and compliance committee, details the use of private jets which were paid for by Russia and Qatar, at an estimated cost of between $115,000 to $150,000.
“ It is my duty to report cases of breaches and regulations,” the memo said.
It further notes that FIFA has made two company cars and a driver available to Infantino. The second car which is used mainly by Infantino’s family consumed about $20,000 in March and almost $14,000 in April.
However, the AFP reports that a FIFA spokes person said there was “nothing new” in the memo. A restructuring process is ongoing, adding that it is “ normal that some people are not happy.”
The 46 year old became president of the scandal plagued body in February, vowing to usher a new era of transparency and honesty into world football.
His predecessor Sepp Blatter is currently serving a six year suspension over a $ 2 million payment to former FIFA vice president Michel Platini.