FIFA president Gianni Infantino said a wind of change was blowing through soccer’s scandal-plagued world governing body after announcing a sponsorship deal with China’s Wanda Group on Friday.
FIFA has been battered by a series of scandals and the deal, which is to run until 2030 and include the next four World Cups, came one day after the Swiss-based federation announced a US$122 million loss for last year, its first deficit since 2002.
The deal could help Infantino, elected last month to replace Sepp Blatter, fulfill ambitious promises of greater funding for FIFA’s 209 member associations that he made during his campaign.
FIFA has been thrown into turmoil in the past year with criminal investigations underway into the sport in the US — where several dozen former soccer officials have been indicted — and Switzerland.
Blatter has been banned by the federation’s own ethics committee for six years after being engulfed by the scandal.
“I cannot change the past, but I can influence the future and make sure we will face all the challenges,” Infantino said after chairing his first executive committee meeting.
Wanda Group, China’s largest commercial property company, last year bought a 20 percent stake in Spanish club Atletico Madrid and Blatter’s nephew Philippe Blatter is chief executive of its subsidiary Wanda Sports Holding.
A source close to the deal said the sponsorship amount by Wanda will be “hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Wanda, who also bought Swiss sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media AG last year, said it is to hold a press conference tomorrow to give more details on the deal.
“I’m very aware of the potential situations that can exist when you have partners who may have subsidiaries, who have other commercial relationships as well,” Infantino said. “In these circumstances, it’s even more important to do the right thing and to make sure that the contracts that you sign are really checked and we make sure that they are compliant with the highest standard.”
On Tuesday, FIFA applied to US authorities for tens of millions of dollars in compensation from ex-officials indicted there, a move Infantino said marked a change in attitude.
“FIFA is moving from the defense to the attack and it must be clear to everyone who abuses FIFA and abuses football to enrich themselves that they will not only be excluded from football, but you will have to give the money back,” Infantino said.
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