{"text":[[{"start":7.8,"text":"Fifa president Gianni Infantino has apologised to the organisation’s top decision-making body about a failed investment plan and proposed a significant funding boost to member associations as he looks to soothe anger ahead of elections next year."}],[{"start":21.18,"text":"Infantino, Fifa president since 2016, provoked a fierce backlash during the summer after attempting to spin out a new commercial entity that would control revenue from football’s global governing body, including the World Cup."}],[{"start":34.48,"text":"Infantino also agreed to sell a stake in the proposed company, Fifa Forward Enterprise, to a fund run by Joshua Kushner, the technology investor whose elder brother Jared is married to US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka."}],[{"start":46.72,"text":"Uefa, which runs the game in Europe, has called for Infantino to resign over the aborted FFE plan, while its counterparts in North and Central America and Asia have criticised his leadership of Fifa. The Switzerland-based non-profit organisation dropped the plan days after announcing it."}],[{"start":63.04,"text":"Infantino is due to run for re-election as Fifa president in March next year, and his opponents have until November 18 to find a rival candidate."}],[{"start":71.12,"text":"Following a meeting of the Fifa Council in Zurich on Thursday, the organisation said in a statement that Infantino had apologised to the 37-person body over how the FFE project was “conducted and communicated”, and that a working group would be set up “to examine in detail Fifa’s governance framework”."}],[{"start":88.36,"text":"Fifa also said it would use its cash reserves to increase annual funding to its 211 member associations, which represent countries and territories across the world."}],[{"start":98.4,"text":"This year’s men’s World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada generated more than $15bn in revenue for Fifa, generating a surplus of at least $5.2bn."}],[{"start":108.76,"text":"Fifa has proposed giving each member association $25mn over the next four years, up from $10mn previously. These recommendations will be finalised this year and voted on by member associations in March."}],[{"start":121.36,"text":"Despite the proposals to increase funding for members and review Fifa’s governance, anger at Infantino’s leadership continues."}],[{"start":127.76,"text":"Speaking to reporters after Thursday’s meeting, English Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt said Fifa Council members had been given the chance to air their concerns but Infantino had failed to address them."}],[{"start":141.12,"text":"“I think the man has to answer those questions,” said Hewitt, one of eight Fifa vice-presidents. “And if he doesn’t answer those questions, no, he’s not fit to be Fifa president.”"}],[{"start":152.04,"text":"German FA president Bernd Neuendorf said Fifa needed a “complete restart”, but that was “not possible” with Infantino still in charge."}],[{"start":161.12,"text":"The row over FFE added to previous complaints about Infantino’s decision to award a new “Fifa peace prize” to Trump last year."}],[{"start":170.44,"text":"During the World Cup, Infantino faced accusations of bowing to political pressure from the White House when Fifa decided to lift a ban on a US player ahead of a crucial knockout game."}],[{"start":182.32,"text":"Trump said he had called Infantino and asked him to review the red card shown to US forward Folarin Balogun."}],[{"start":189.88,"text":"Fifa said on Thursday it would “review” its disciplinary procedures in light of the Balogun incident and a committee would “assess” the peace prize."}],[{"start":204.28,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1792113103_8541.mp3"}