CONMEBOL: Infantino comments on crisis are ‘ill-timed’

By: Debora Rey, The Associated Press Posted: 3:29 PM CDT Friday, Mar. 27, 2020 Last Modified: 3:30 PM CDT Friday, Mar. 27, 2020

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - FIFA president Gianni Infantino's suggested changes to competition formats to try and avoid a financial crisis were “ill-timed," the president of South American soccer's governing body said on Friday.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/03/2020 (2373 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s suggested changes to competition formats to try and avoid a financial crisis were “ill-timed,” the president of South American soccer’s governing body said on Friday.

“I was really surprised with President Infantino’s comments. This is not a moment to talk about planning. Right now, we have to prioritize health above politics,” Alejandro Dominguez said in an interview with The Associated Press. ”We have to talk about how we can help players, the clubs, and the member federations.”

Dominguez was responding to Infantino’s comments in an interview with Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport published on Monday. With soccer stopped around the world because of the coronavirus pandemic, the FIFA president warned soccer risked going into recession and the future could mean fewer games and top competitions.

Conmebol President Alejandro Dominguez gives an interview at the soccer organization's headquarters in Luque, Paraguay, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020. DomÃnguez expressed reservations with the new format set up for the FIFA club world championship recently announced by FIFA. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

“I think it’s ill-timed,” Dominguez said. “… It’s a debate that we should have in the long run. The priority right now is to have solidarity to get by in the current situation.”

Dominguez added “there’s no rush” to resume play in South America.

CONMEBOL announced on Thursday it will offer to the clubs playing in its two main competitions — the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana — an advance of up to 60% of their prize money so they can manage to remain solvent during the crisis.

The 32 clubs playing in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores could receive up to $1.8 million each. And the 22 that advanced to the second stage of the Copa Sudamericana will get up to $225,000 each. The finals for both tournaments are scheduled for November.

The Libertadores was halted on March 12 after the second round of group matches as COVID-19 hit South America.

CONMEBOL also postponed the start of World Cup qualifying in the region.

Dominguez told AP that CONMEBOL has asked FIFA to add a window for qualifying matches in April next year.

“Our proposal is to allow us to make changes and be flexible with the FIFA calendar in order for CONMEBOL to extend its qualifying to those dates,” Dominguez said.

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