FIFA president Gianni Infantino. [AFP]
FIFA president Gianni Infantino's leadership has become "radioactive" and his 10-year reign as head of world football "is over", a former head of IOC marketing told AFP.
A FIFA plan to raise up to $4.2 billion, based on a valuation of $20 billion, through private investment leaked to the media on Tuesday.
The scheme proposed a new commercial subsidiary, called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to run events such as the World Cup and Club World Cup and one-off payments of $20 million to all 211 member associations, who each have one FIFA vote.
Following a furious global reaction, Infantino on Saturday shelved the scheme.
"I do not think we have ever seen such a fast fall from grace by a sports leader," Michael Payne, former head of marketing at the International Olympic Committee, told AFP.
"One week ago, Infantino was riding high from delivering a very successful World Cup, and expected to run unopposed for election next year to continue his mandate as president of FIFA.
"Now Infantino will struggle to survive the month.