The extent FIFA president Gianni Infantino and his lieutenants go to in order to influence supposed independent decision-making in Zurich was laid bare in Westminster yesterday.
Former FIFA governance chief Miguel Maduro, who lasted 11 months in the post, told the DCMS sport select committee that his sacking followed him blocking Russian deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko from the FIFA Council because of a conflict of interests with his senior political role.
But FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura warned Maduro that barring Mutko would lead to next year's World Cup in Russia being a 'disaster' and place Infantino's presidency in jeopardy.