FIFA’s decision to sack senior executive Kevin Lamour after he criticised president Gianni Infantino sends a “deeply troubling message to all of us seeking change”, according to UEFA vice-president and former Wales captain Laura McAllister.

Lamour had served as FIFA’s chief operating officer. His exit from the organisation was confirmed on Monday evening.

The sacking came just over a fortnight after Lamour issued a statement claiming FIFA’s administration had been “deceived” by Infantino over plans to sell stakes in the organisation’s competitions to private investors.

McAllister, who sits on UEFA’s executive committee and worked alongside Lamour when he was the European body’s deputy general secretary, was quick to condemn the decision.

“I know Kevin Lamour to be an honourable and exemplary sports leader who was a trusted colleague of mine when I was first elected to UEFA Ex Co,” she said.

“Kevin is not only a deeply principled leader who cares passionately for football, but a brave advocate for the values that should underpin all we do as custodians of our game.

“During the shabby events of the past weeks, he showed himself to be a courageous advocate for the most important stakeholders in football.”

FIFA scrapped its plan to sell stakes in its competitions on 1 August, a day after Lamour’s statement branded the scheme “the project of one person.”

Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro had already quit that same day, adding to the pressure on Infantino, who went on to secure the backing of top FIFA executives at a meeting in Morocco that Lamour did not attend.

UEFA has since said it no longer has confidence in Infantino, labelling the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal a “shabby, back room, opaque deal.”

It later issued a joint open letter with the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf accusing Fifa and Infantino of breaking trust “through deception.”

The football associations of Wales, England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland have all withdrawn their backing for Infantino and will not support his re-election bid in early 2027.

“Having worked with Kevin, I know that his leadership always operates on principles of respect, independence, transparency and sound governance,” McAllister continued.

“Kevin’s sacking seriously weakens FIFA’s administration, whilst undermining this unique opportunity to shift the culture at FIFA and to reset the organisation on sporting values, not simply commercial and financial ones.

“FIFA is not the president, it is the whole football family.

“As I have said repeatedly, world football needs strong, principled, independent leaders who are prepared to speak up, challenge when necessary, and stand firmly by their values and those of the global game.

“Instead, the loss of a leader of Kevin’s calibre sends a deeply troubling message to all of us seeking change.”

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