TORONTO — The Vancouver Police Department announced on Wednesday that a request for a police escort for FIFA President Gianni Infantino during his visit to Vancouver, British Columbia for FIFA meetings has been denied.
Deputy Chief Don Chapman stated, “Formal motorcades where traffic is halted are designated for heads of state.”
Chapman further explained that, “The FIFA executive does not meet the criteria for Internationally Protected Person (IPP) status, which would necessitate an escort involving road closures and disregard for traffic rules, among other measures. Therefore, the request was not granted.”
Later in the day, a FIFA spokesperson clarified to ESPN: “FIFA did not request a specific type of police motorcade for the FIFA President. The President was neither informed of nor involved in any discussions with authorities regarding his transportation and security for the 76th FIFA Congress.”
The spokesperson added, “As part of the usual arrangements for such events, FWC26 Canada, the local organizers, coordinated with authorities to request support for all delegates, guests, and stakeholders.”
This week, FIFA is convening in Vancouver, one of the 16 locations that will host World Cup matches during a tournament jointly hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
The FIFA congress, which gathers representatives from all member organizations, is set to take place on Thursday.
There has already been significant activity from FIFA this week, including updates to the suspension rule regarding yellow card accumulation for the World Cup, the confirmation of increased prize money for World Cup participants, and eligibility being granted for the exiled Afghan women’s team to compete internationally once again.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report. ESPN’s Lizzy Becherano also played a role in compiling this article.