{"text":[[{"start":15.52,"text":"Kevin Lamour, a senior Fifa official who criticised president Gianni Infantino’s now aborted plan to sell shares in a new commercial entity to private investors, has left world football’s governing body."}],[{"start":19.56,"text":"Lamour, Fifa chief operating officer since 2024, has exited the World Cup organiser just weeks after urging football’s leaders to block Infantino’s proposal to raise more than $4bn from investors."}],[{"start":33.32,"text":"Infantino shelved the plan following a fierce backlash from football confederations, politicians, players and fans, as well as Lamour."}],[{"start":41.26,"text":"But Infantino has resisted calls for his resignation and is fighting to stay in his job at the Switzerland-based non-profit organisation ahead of next year’s Fifa presidential election."}],[{"start":51.08,"text":"Uefa, Europe’s governing body, has repeatedly said it has “lost confidence” in Infantino and threatened to boycott Fifa competitions."}],[{"start":59.48,"text":"Fifa said in a statement on Monday evening: “Fifa can confirm that the working relationship between Fifa and Kevin Lamour as Fifa’s chief operating officer has ended on 17 August 2026."}],[{"start":72.28,"text":"“Fifa thanks Kevin for his two years of service and wishes him the best of luck for the future. No further comment will be made on the matter.”"}],[{"start":79.84,"text":"The Athletic first reported Lamour’s departure from Fifa. Lamour has been approached for comment."}],[{"start":85.04,"text":"Lamour, who had previously worked for Uefa, said in a statement last month that he and other Fifa staff had been “deceived” by those who had devised the plan to sell a 20 per cent stake in the proposed commercial entity — known as Fifa Forward Enterprise — at a $20bn valuation."}],[{"start":101.4,"text":"“The project that has sparked so much controversy and debate is not a Fifa project. It is even less a project of Fifa’s administration. It is the project of one person,” Lamour said, referring to the plan, which was championed by Infantino."}],[{"start":113.76,"text":"“If that means I lose my job, then so be it,” he added. “At least I’ll sleep well tonight.”"}],[{"start":119.6,"text":"Lamour’s departure comes after Carlos Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs banker, resigned last month from his role advising Infantino — saying he opposed the plan to sell a stake in FFE to investors."}],[{"start":133.16,"text":"Cordeiro was a member of the White House task force on the 2026 World Cup hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico."}],[{"start":140.68,"text":"The FT first reported the FFE proposal, which was the latest effort to bring more money into Fifa under Infantino’s leadership."}],[{"start":148.28,"text":"Joshua Kushner, the technology investor whose elder brother Jared Kushner is married to President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka, was in talks to lead the private investment in FFE through his Thrive Eternal fund."}],[{"start":161.28,"text":"Fifa said last month it would seek to attract long-term minority investors for FFE, which would be a subsidiary housing its commercial operations. Fifa generates the vast majority of its revenue from the World Cup."}],[{"start":179.32,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1787018923_7917.mp3"}