Fifa COO Kevin Lamour leaves after criticising Gianni Infantino
Fifa chief operating officer Kevin Lamour has left the global governing body after publicly accusing president Gianni Infantino of deceiving staff over his now-abandoned World Cup plans.
The 46-year-old departed his role following a two-year stint at the international organisation.
His exit follows explosive comments made to the Associated Press in July regarding the controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal.
The former executive claimed the project was driven solely by one person and urged football leaders to urgently intervene.
‘I will sleep well tonight’
In a previous statement addressing his potential dismissal, Lamour acknowledged the severe professional risks of his public dissent.
“If that means I lose my job, then so be it.”
“I will understand and respect that decision. At least I’ll sleep well tonight.”
According to reports from the New York Times, the outgoing official also voted against the enterprise plan during a meeting held just hours before the World Cup final.
Fifa confirms swift departure
The governing body released a brief statement confirming the termination of his contract while refusing to elaborate on the circumstances.
“Fifa can confirm that the working relationship between Fifa and Kevin Lamour as Fifa’s Chief Operating Officer has ended.”
“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.”
Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom has since notified all remaining staff via email regarding the high-profile departure.
Infantino’s leadership continues to face intense scrutiny as the fallout from the abandoned proposals reverberates through world football.