Fifa’s decision to dismiss senior executive Kevin Lamour following his criticism of president Gianni Infantino sends a “deeply troubling message to all of us seeking change”, says Uefa vice-president Laura McAllister.
Lamour had held the position of chief operating officer at Fifa and his departure was confirmed on Monday evening.
His dismissal came just over two weeks after he released a statement saying the world governing body’s administration had been “deceived” by Infantino over a plan to sell stakes in competitions to private investors.
Uefa executive committee member McAllister, a former Wales captain who worked with Lamour at European football’s governing body when he was its deputy general secretary, released a statement criticising his sacking.
“I know Kevin Lamour to be an honourable and exemplary sports leader who was a trusted colleague of mine when I was first elected to Uefa Ex Co,” said McAllister.
“Kevin is not only a deeply principled leader who cares passionately for football, but a brave advocate for the values that should underpin all we do as custodians of our game.
“During the shabby events of the past weeks, he showed himself to be a courageous advocate for the most important stakeholders in football.”
Fifa aborted a plan to sell stakes in the body’s football competitions on 1 August, one day after Lamour’s statement, which described the scheme as “the project of one person”.
Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro had resigned earlier the same day, putting pressure on Infantino, who ultimately received the backing of senior Fifa executives in a meeting in Morocco where Lamour was not present.
Uefa has already said it has lost confidence in Infantino, calling the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal a “shabby, back room, opaque deal”.
It subsequently released an open letter alongside the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Concacaf, the North American confederation, in which they accused Fifa and Infantino of breaking trust “through deception”.
The Football Associations of England, Wales, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland have withdrawn their support for Infantino and will not not be voting for his re-election as president in early 2027.
“Having worked with Kevin, I know that his leadership always operates on principles of respect, independence, transparency and sound governance,” added McAllister.
“Kevin’s sacking seriously weakens Fifa’s administration, whilst undermining this unique opportunity to shift the culture at Fifa and to reset the organisation on sporting values, not simply commercial and financial ones. Fifa is not the president, it is the whole football family.
“As I have said repeatedly, world football needs strong, principled, independent leaders who are prepared to speak up, challenge when necessary, and stand firmly by their values and those of the global game.
“Instead, the loss of a leader of Kevin’s calibre sends a deeply troubling message to all of us seeking change.”