FIFA's call for a motorcade escort for its president, Gianni Infantino, during the Women's World Cup visit was swiftly declined by New Zealand authorities, citing adherence to standard operating protocols.
A statement released by New Zealand police on Thursday confirmed the intriguing episode.
It highlighted that a "request" from FIFA had indeed landed on their doorstep, pleading for an elaborate police escort to accompany Infantino.
However, upon careful scrutiny, this proposal was met with a resolute "no" after being weighed against the country's customary operating procedures.
It is worth noting that New Zealand typically reserves the honor of motorcades for heads of state and select foreign dignitaries, underscoring the rare stature for which such an arrangement is held.
At the heart of this unfolding saga lies FIFA's persistent quest for prestige, seeking to surround its leader with an air of authority as he embarked on a tour of New Zealand's Women's World Cup host cities.
The journey commenced just prior to the tournament's kick-off, as Infantino charted his course on a private jet for much of the intercity travel.
Intriguingly, this was not merely a New Zealand affair.
Infantino's sojourn extended beyond its borders, taking him to destinations like New Caledonia, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands, Samoa and American Samoa. A globe-trotting spectacle that, though notable, seemed to draw attention to Infantino's conspicuously restrained on-ground presence when contrasted with his appearances during the men's World Cup.
Interestingly, the absence of police escorts was not confined to Infantino alone; players too found themselves in a similar position.
This peculiar reality was aptly captured in a lighthearted remark from New Zealand's captain, Ali Riley, who found humor in the situation when her team was ensnared by traffic woes, arriving just moments before the first match's kickoff.
In an exclusive interview with "The Re-cap Show: World Cup edition," Riley offered a revealing peek behind the curtain.
She shared that the team's tardiness due to traffic snarls left them with a mere 13 minutes to warm up before the match commenced.
"I don't know if anyone outside the team knows this, but we were so late to the game," Riley said.
She regaled the tale of how the team's precarious delay was amplified by the traffic tumult, tongue-in-cheekily suggesting that the absence of police escorts might have contributed to their predicament.
She recounted a fleeting moment when the distant wail of sirens had them briefly hopeful for salvation, only for the patrol car to swoosh by on its way to another call.
