"It's Lekjaa and that is where the problem lies": Tebas: who do we believe in the World Cup final crisis?
Who is telling the truth: Morocco or FIFA?
FIFA moved fast to deny Morocco's announcement that it would host the 2030 World Cup final, and the response did not go unnoticed. From the heart of Spain, Javier Tebas, president of the Spanish league, put the international federation in the dock with a fiery post on social media.
Infantino's arch-enemy did not attack Morocco. He went after the policy of denial that has become a trademark of FIFA under the Swiss official.
"Not a journalist: it's Lekjaa!"
Tebas wrote sarcastically: "Another denial from FIFA! It's nothing new, denial has become an almost official policy of this federation, and now it describes holding the 2030 World Cup final in Morocco as a lie and misinformation."
His strongest blow questioned the source of the news: "The problem lies in the identity of the person who said it. Not a journalist, nor merely a rumour on social media, it's Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, a member of the FIFA Council itself, and the minister delegate of the Moroccan government responsible for the budget."
He added: "Lekjaa claims the final will be held in Casablanca, and FIFA denies it, so who is the liar? The president of the organising federation, a member of the FIFA Council, and a minister in the Moroccan government? Or should we, once again, believe Infantino's official denial?"
Palloun scandal returns to the fore
Doubt was not the end of it. Tebas reminded everyone of a famous incident that proves, according to him, FIFA's lying.
He said: "We know this method well. During the Club World Cup, Trump called Infantino about the red card shown to Palloun. FIFA assured us the call had nothing to do with anything. Then, purely by coincidence, the suspension was cancelled and the player was allowed to play, but this too had nothing to do with the matter. And now another denial."
Perhaps FIFA will soon have to create a new section on its website titled: Current denials, with the publication date, and most importantly, the expiry date, because when denials become a habit for an institution, it reaches a point where what it denies is no longer the problem, but rather who believes it.
