Dominican Republic: Gianni Infantino asked not to attend a youth tournament!

The governance crisis currently shaking FIFA has even infiltrated a youth competition. The president of the world governing body, Gianni Infantino, has been asked not to attend the CFU Under-14 Series tournament, held this weekend in the Dominican Republic.

The request comes from Victor Montagliani, president of Concacaf and vice-president of FIFA. In a letter seen by the BBC, the Canadian official argues that Infantino's presence could divert attention from the primary objective of this competition, which is dedicated to youth football development.

Montagliani specifically refers to the "governance crisis" currently surrounding FIFA. According to him, the presence of the world governing body's president risks turning the tournament into a media event focused on the tensions shaking the organization.

"The media will focus on this situation, which will considerably divert attention from the technical dimension of the competition," the Concacaf president reportedly wrote.

He therefore asked her to "reconsider" her participation in the event, believing that it could harm the sporting and educational purpose of the tournament.

An invitation extended before the controversy

Gianni Infantino had been invited to the Dominican Republic at the invitation of the local authorities. According to reports, this invitation was extended before the controversy surrounding the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, which was ultimately abandoned after widespread criticism.

Upon his arrival in the Caribbean nation, the FIFA president received a warm welcome. The Dominican Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kelvin Cruz, in particular, praised his presence, believing it would enhance the international visibility of Dominican football and open up new avenues for development.

The CFU Under-14 Series tournament fits perfectly into this development strategy. It benefits from funding from the FIFA Forward program, which aims to support football development projects in different regions of the world.

This new controversy comes as Gianni Infantino faces growing criticism over his governance of FIFA.

His FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which notably included opening up the capital of certain FIFA competitions to private investors, had provoked strong reactions within international football. Faced with the pressure, the project was ultimately abandoned.

Several federations have since distanced themselves from the FIFA president. UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation, in particular, have expressed their dissatisfaction and denounced a breakdown of trust with the leadership of the world governing body.

FIFA's decision to part ways with its senior official Kevin Lamour, following his criticism of Infantino, also fueled tensions.

Despite this challenge, the FIFA president retains significant support. CONMEBOL, which governs South American football, and CAF, in particular, remain in favor of his candidacy for a fourth term at the head of the world governing body.

Victor Montagliani's request illustrates the extent of current tensions: even a youth competition, initially conceived as a simple sporting development event, now finds itself at the heart of the governance disputes that are shaking FIFA.