Infantino attended Caribbean tournament despite VP's warning

FIFA President Gianni Infantino defied a request from his own vice president, Victor Montagliani, to avoid attending a U14 tournament in the Dominican Republic. Montagliani, who also heads CONCACAF, the governing body for football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, urged Infantino not to attend the CFU U-14 Challenge Series.

According to reports from BBC and VG, Montagliani cited the ongoing controversies surrounding Infantino's proposal to carve out and sell portions of the World Cup broadcasting rights to private investors. Montagliani warned that Infantino's presence would "undermine the tournament" as media attention would inevitably focus on the controversy rather than the young players.

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Media will focus on this situation, which will undermine the tournament.

Despite the explicit plea "in the name of football" to reconsider his attendance, Infantino proceeded with the visit. He has since shared multiple photos and videos on Instagram from his trip, including images from the U14 tournament itself. Infantino was reportedly invited by the Dominican Republic, with the invitation predating the controversial proposal regarding World Cup rights.

The visit occurs at a time when Infantino faces growing distrust from several football federations. The Guardian noted that meetings around the tournament offered a welcome opportunity for Infantino to engage with regional leaders, even as his standing within the international football community appears to be weakening.

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Therefore, I ask you in the name of football to reconsider your presence.