FIFA fires critic of commercial rights sale; Norway calls it 'leadership by fear'

Norway's football federation is fiercely criticizing FIFA after the global governing body dismissed its operational director, Kevin Lamour. Lamour lost his job just over two weeks after he publicly opposed FIFA President Gianni Infantino's proposal to sell commercial rights for the World Cup to private investors.

“

He is being thrown out, and we are supposed to just move on. That is not acceptable. This is leadership by fear.

FIFA, in a letter signed by Swedish Secretary General Mattias Grafström, stated that Lamour's departure was a mutual decision. However, Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Federation, rejected this explanation. "He is being thrown out, and we are supposed to just move on. That is not acceptable. This is leadership by fear," she stated, emphasizing, "This is about being fired, not resigning."

Klaveness credited Lamour with playing a crucial role in thwarting Infantino's investment plan. "His statement was essential for the plan to be scrapped. He said it out loud. It was very important that someone from within the organization told us what was happening. We learned that it was not about FIFA as a whole but about one person," she explained. Klaveness urged FIFA leaders to resist directives they know are contrary to football's best interests, suggesting Grafström acted "obviously under pressure from the president" in dismissing Lamour.

“

This is about being fired, not resigning.

Lamour had served as FIFA's operational director since 2024 and was considered part of Infantino's inner circle, having supported his presidential campaign in 2016.

“

His statement was essential for the plan to be scrapped. He said it out loud. It was very important that someone from within the organization told us what was happening.