Infantino loses more support as FIFA official says COO dismissal was 'final straw'

Aug 19 : More national football federations and FIFA officials have withdrawn their support for the soccer body's president Gianni Infantino after the exit of Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour, which one FIFA vice-president described as the "final straw".

FIFA said on Monday that Lamour had left the organisation, weeks after he publicly criticised Infantino's plan to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the World Cup and other tournaments.

His exit prompted Hungary's Sandor Csanyi - one of eight FIFA vice-presidents and a member of the FIFA Council - to withdraw his support for the embattled Infantino, who is under pressure from three confederations to resign.

"The final straw was the unexpected dismissal of Kevin Lamour," Csanyi wrote in a letter to Infantino, seen by Reuters.

"Kevin performed his duties to a high professional and ethical standard and, as a highly competent executive, made a significant contribution to the transparent operation of the organisation.

"The fact that his dismissal was prompted by his criticism of the above-mentioned initiative — an initiative that you yourself ultimately acknowledged to have been misguided — points to serious shortcomings in professional judgement, ethical standards and leadership."

FIFA did not respond to a request for comment.

Lamour had said that staff had been "deceived" over the plan which he described as the project of one person.

Other FIFA vice-presidents who have attacked Infantino's conduct are UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa and CONCACAF president Vittorio Montagliani.

'EXTREMELY WORRYING'

Montenegro's Dejan Savicevic, a FIFA Council member since 2017 and president of the country's football association, said they