Crucial election to choose Blatter ‘ s successor today
The five men vying for the leadership of world soccer’s scandal-hit
governing body made their final pitches on Thursday in a contest that
could hinge on who secures the bulk of Africa’s 54 votes.
Delegates from more than 200 countries will elect a new president on
Friday to succeed Sepp Blatter of Switzerland, two days after Blatter
and European soccer chief Michel Platini lost their appeals against bans
for ethics violations.
Whoever takes over from Blatter, who ran FIFA for 17 years like a
globe-trotting head of state, will inherit a very different job with a
focus on crisis management, after dozens of international soccer
officials were indicted in the United States last year for racketeering,
money-laundering and bribery.
African countries make up more than a quarter of the 207 football
associations eligible to vote. On the final day of campaigning, there
were sharply conflicting versions of how they would cast their ballots.
While the vice-president of their continental federation said
virtually all would back Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of
Bahrain, several delegates told Reuters the African vote could be split.
Switzerland’s Gianni Infantino has said he is confident of winning
more than half the African votes, while Liberian soccer chief Musa
Bility predicted 27 of them would go to Jordan’s Prince Ali Bin Al
Hussein.
Sheikh Salman
“The world is waiting and watching – this is the biggest milestone in
the history of FIFA. It will decide if FIFA goes ahead as we want or if
it spirals down,” Prince Ali told delegates.
South Africa’s Tokyo Sexwale described FIFA as “broken” and a damaged
brand, though he also referred to some of those felled in the scandal
as “friends we have lost”.
Infantino repeated his promise to offer each of FIFA’s members $5
million to invest in the sport over four years, more than doubling the
$2.05 million each federation got from 2011-14. He said this could be
achieved “easily” by tackling the cost structure of FIFA.
Bahrain’s Salman, who along with Infantino is seen as a front-runner,
was more cautious, speaking of a ‘realistic’ increase in funding.
“For me, if the numbers are right, we can increase – but I am not ready to mortgage FIFA’s future in winning an election.”
French outsider Jerome Champagne took a shot at Infantino’s
globe-trotting campaign by saying the election had been “unbalanced”.
“I did not have a private jet to visit you, take a photo and then
tweet and say I have got the endorsement,” he said to laughter from
delegates.
Infantino: banking on Africa
CORRUPTION PROBES
The two favourites were both upbeat.
“I am feeling good and very positive. The support I am receiving
fills me with confidence,” Infantino told Reuters in an email while
travelling between meetings.
A spokesman for his Bahraini rival said: “Sheikh Salman is very confident about tomorrow’s vote.”
FIFA was plunged into turmoil by the corruption scandal that broke
last year, beginning with a dawn raid to arrest delegates at a Swiss
luxury hotel.
Criminal investigations led by the United States and Switzerland have
spanned dozens of countries, focusing largely on the awarding of
lucrative broadcast and marketing rights to the world’s most popular
sport. They are also examining the process by which FIFA awarded the
next two World Cups to Russia and Qatar.
Acting FIFA president Issa Hayatou appealed to FIFA members in what
he called one of the most important weeks in the history of global
football, urging them to support a package of reforms on governance.
These include introducing term limits for top officials and requiring
them to disclose their earnings.
“I urge each of you to support the reforms in full here this week,
and then to implement them to their entirety at home,” Hayatou said in
an address aimed at the six confederations that run soccer around the
world.
“This will send a strong message that we have listened and that we
are taking the action necessary to give football the foundation, and
protection, it needs for the future.”
