{"text":[[{"start":8.04,"text":"Donald Trump has warned it would be a “terrible mistake” to remove Fifa president Gianni Infantino from his position, as critics ratchet up the pressure on the head of world football’s governing body to resign."}],[{"start":20.24,"text":"“Fifa would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing president Gianni Infantino,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday."}],[{"start":30.24,"text":"“He is fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented,” he said, adding: “If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again!”"}],[{"start":42.32,"text":"Infantino’s plan to raise up to $4.2bn from investors led by Thrive Eternal, a fund run by Joshua Kushner — the brother of Trump’s son-in-law — sparked huge backlash in football and beyond. Infantino shelved the proposal, which involved selling a 20 per cent stake in Fifa’s commercial rights, but has still come under pressure to resign."}],[{"start":61.36,"text":"The Fifa boss cultivated close ties with Trump in the run-up to and during this summer’s World Cup, co-hosted by the US. Last year, Infantino awarded Trump a new Fifa “peace prize”. Under Infantino, Fifa has also partnered with Trump’s Board of Peace — a group set up to oversee Gaza. The duo presented the World Cup trophy to winners Spain after last month’s final."}],[{"start":82.68,"text":"Uefa last week doubled down on its threat to boycott Fifa competitions until the world governing body provides binding assurances that it “will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership”."}],[{"start":94.32,"text":"That threat has opened the possibility of Uefa teaming up with the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf, which governs the game in North America, Central America, to arrange alternatives to Fifa competitions."}],[{"start":105.42,"text":"In a joint letter on Monday, senior leaders of AFC, Concacaf and Uefa said that trust had been “broken through deception”."}],[{"start":112.12,"text":"The US Soccer Federation, the domestic governing body, has also weighed into the debate. Sharing the letter that was co-signed by Concacaf, the US body posted on social media a call for “meaningful change that strengthens Fifa’s governance, transparency and accountability”."}],[{"start":129.16,"text":"Infantino, however, has refused to resign. On Saturday, Fifa said the president had “dedicated more than 30 years of his professional life to European and world football”."}],[{"start":140.46,"text":"“It is increasingly evident that there is a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine Fifa and its President,” Fifa said."}],[{"start":149.08,"text":"Last week, Infantino held crisis talks in Morocco, which is set to co-host the men’s World Cup in 2030, and acknowledged that the controversial plan to bring in private investment “should have been handled differently”."}],[{"start":161.52,"text":"However, AFC, Concacaf and Uefa wrote on Monday that the mistakes went beyond process. “There remains no recognition that attempting to sell an interest in the Fifa World Cup was a profound failure of judgment — not just a procedural mis-step,” they added."}],[{"start":178.24,"text":"The letter was signed by executives including AFC president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Concacaf president Victor Montagliani and Uefa president Aleksander Čeferin."}],[{"start":188.66,"text":"To continue as president for another term, Infantino would need to be re-elected by Fifa’s 211 member associations next year."}],[{"start":201.52,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1786439699_4996.mp3"}