SFA gives ‘unequivocal’ backing to UEFA over plans to boycott World Cup
The Scottish Football Association has “unequivocally” backed UEFA’s declaration that all European nations will boycott the World Cup until FIFA drops its controversial plans.
It emerged on Tuesday that the global body was conspiring to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a vehicle aimed at transferring ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors.
The plans have been met with a furious backlash in Europe, and SFA president Mike Mulraney and chief executive Iain Maxwell were among those who attended a remote meeting of UEFA nations on Thursday to discuss their response to the situation.
A subsequent statement from UEFA confirmed: “No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership.”
The SFA’s statement, released later on Thursday, read: “The Scottish FA Board agrees unequivocally with the concerns raised by all (UEFA) members over the manner in which these proposals have been issued, and deadline set, without a full consultation process or consideration to good governance.
“The Board is fully supportive of the statement issued by UEFA following the meeting. We are also aligned with our fellow national associations who seek to ensure our collective voice is heard resoundingly, and that the Corinthian spirit which underpins the beautiful game – invented here in Scotland and shared with the world – is protected.”
SFA president Mulraney was named chairperson of FIFA’s Finance Committee in October last year.
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