Fifa sacking 'deeply troubling' - Uefa executive

What the report says

UEFA vice-president Laura McAllister has criticised FIFA’s decision to dismiss senior executive Kevin Lamour, saying it sends a “deeply troubling” signal to people pushing for reform in world football. The BBC reports that Lamour, who had served as FIFA’s chief operating officer, had his departure confirmed on Monday evening.

According to the article, the sacking came a little more than two weeks after Lamour accused FIFA’s administration of being “deceived” by president Gianni Infantino over a proposal to sell stakes in competitions to private investors. FIFA later abandoned that plan. McAllister, who worked with Lamour at UEFA, described him as a principled and respected colleague and said his removal weakens FIFA’s administration.

The piece places the episode in the wider dispute over FIFA governance and transparency. UEFA has already said it has lost confidence in Infantino, and other regional bodies, including AFC and Concacaf, have also raised concerns about the proposed Fifa Forward Enterprise deal. Several British and Irish national associations have said they will not support Infantino in the next presidential election in early 2027.

The development matters because it adds to pressure on FIFA at a time when questions over leadership, commercial direction and internal accountability remain prominent. The BBC’s report also notes that Lamour’s departure follows the resignation of senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro and comes amid continuing debate over how the sport’s global governing body is run.