Gianni Infantino opposed blocking Vitaly Mutko, says former FIFA official Miguel Maduro

Maduro told that “there was an attempt to influence that decision” on Mutko by Infantino. (Source: File)

A former FIFA official says Gianni Infantino opposed blocking Vitaly Mutko from football’s ruling council. Mutko, the head of the World Cup organizing committee and a Russian deputy prime minister, was banned from re-election to the FIFA Council in March on grounds of political interference.

That decision was taken by Miguel Maduro, who chaired the FIFA governance committee until May, when he was removed after less than a year.

Maduro told British legislators “there was an attempt to influence that decision” on Mutko by Infantino, the president of FIFA.

Maduro says Infantino “was not comfortable” with ruling against Mutko and warned about it impacting the World Cup. Maduro added Infantino believes there is “no evidence” Mutko is involved in Russian doping.