09/30/26 02:16:00
Printable Page
09/30 14:14 CDT Gianni Infantino loses support of his home nation Switzerland
for FIFA presidential campaign
Gianni Infantino loses support of his home nation Switzerland for FIFA
presidential campaign
BERN, Switzerland (AP) --- Gianni Infantino formally lost support from his home
nation Switzerland on Wednesday for the FIFA presidential election next year
over concerns for the integrity of the world soccer body.
European soccer body UEFA has led calls to remove its long-time former employee
Infantino either before or at the FIFA election in March, because of his failed
proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
The Swiss federation also cited concern Wednesday for the integrity of
competitions after pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump not to impose a
mandatory one-game ban on the World Cup co-host nation's forward Folarin
Balogun from a round of 16 game against Belgium earlier this year.
Citing the need for credibility, transparency, accountability and effective
statutory bodies, the Swiss federation said they were "essential to have trust
in the governance of international football and in the integrity of FIFA."
These conditions were no longer fulfilled since June when it first pledged
support for Infantino, the Swiss federation said.
Infantino had seemed set to win a fourth and final term in office through 2031
unopposed until his secretive plan to create a commercial subsidiary company
was revealed by media reports on July 28. The plan was dropped within days amid
a global backlash.
UEFA is set to meet with its 55 member federations next week in Berlin to work
toward finding a candidate to challenge Infantino by a Nov. 18 deadline to
enter the contest. The vote by 211 FIFA member federations is on March 18 in
Rabat, Morocco.
___
See AP's full soccer coverage her
|
