Gianni Infantino's admiration of Vladimir Putin leaves FIFA exposed

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino remains the proud holder of the Russian Order of Friendship medal from Vladimir Putin. Not even the invasion of Ukraine by Russia has proved enough for Infantino to publicly distance himself from the autocratic leader.

The 2019 Kremlin ceremony where the state honor was bestowed on Infantino only served to cement a personal relationship with Putin.

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"This is not the end," Infantino gushed. "It is only the beginning of our fruitful cooperation and interaction."

Infantino became even deeper entangled in Putin’s orbit, even when his judgment was being questioned for so zealously indulging the president’s vanity.

The Putin who hosted the World Cup in 2018 was not far removed from the Putin who ordered the military assault on Ukraine last week.

Russia had already annexed the Ukrainian territory of Crimea in 2014, the same year a Malaysian Airlines flight was shot down by a surface-to-air missile over eastern Ukraine, killing 298 people. The Dutch government has blamed Russia, though Moscow denies involvement.

There also was the state-sponsored doping scheme and cover-ups that earned Russia a ban from international sporting events. Russian athletes can compete as neutral participants at events such as the Olympics and World Cup.

How wise was it of Infantino to tell Putin four years ago, "We are a team"?

Infantino seemingly chooses power and profit over morality when it comes to dealing with rulers he has a personal connection to.

After all, FIFA had even pressed ahead with staging the Beach Soccer World Cup in Moscow last year when the World Anti-Doping Agency