Fifa scraps controversial World Cup investment plan

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Gianni Infantino has been the president of Fifa since February 2016ByJack Skelton, BBC Sport senior journalist and Simon Stone, Chief football news reporterFifa president Gianni Infantino says he has scrapped the controversial plan to sell off stakes in the governing body's competitions to private investors following widespread opposition.Infantino said it had become clear the project had "created divisions" that are "no longer in the interest" of its original objective.The Swiss official added: "As a result, this proposal will not proceed."Infantino had offered Fifa's 211 member associations $40m (£30m) if they backed a proposal for private investment in its tournaments, including the men's and women's World Cups.However, Uefa - which governs European football - responded by voting to boycott World Cups if the plans went ahead, and other governing bodies also voiced their opposition.On Friday, Fifa's chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said the governing body's own administration had been "deceived" about the project.Carlos Cordeiro - Infantino's senior adviser on global strategy and governance - resigned over the matter, saying the propos...