Infantino “to withdraw” from FIFA election if Platini stands
UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino
vowed on Tuesday to withdraw from FIFA’s
presidential election if Michel Platini, the
UEFA president who is serving a 90-day ban
from all football-related activities, is allowed
to stand.
“Platini is my president and I’ve worked
with him for nine years. It’s clear that I
have his support, otherwise I would not
be running,” Infantino told Italian daily
Gazzetta dello Sport.
“And there is another thing that must be
clarified,” he added.
“My candidacy is not in opposition to
Michel. If he is able to stand, I will
withdraw. It’s a simple principle of
loyalty. But right now I am a candidate
100 per cent and I’m moving forward,
not only for Europe but for world
football.”
Speaking of his plans to run for world
football’s lead role, Infantino
acknowledged he shared “lots of points
in common” with Platini in relation to
“development and reforms” but that he
also had his own ideas.
“I am Infantino and Platini is Platini.
It’s my programme. The priorities are
the same but there will be some
differences.”
Yet Infantino said that in principle he,
as a candidate, was focused on several
key reforms, one of which is the
“indispensible” reform of world
governing body FIFA.
“The reform of FIFA. It’s indispensible.
We need financial transparency, so that
we know what money is coming in and
which is going out,” he said.
“Also, the separation of powers. The
Executive will soon become known as the
Council and will become a political body,
separate from the administration. We
also have to put limits on mandates and
the age at which they can he held.
“Secondly, decisions have to become
democratic. There are 209 national
federations, big and small, and each one
should have a say, not just every four
years to elect the president.
“And we need made-to-measure plans in
terms of investing in development. In
recent years we’ve spoken very little
about football.
“FIFA has huge revenues from the World
Cup and should be investing them,
taking into account the different needs.
Germany, for example, has different
needs compared to Burundi.”
The African vote is expected to be crucial
for whoever is standing for the FIFA
presidency and Infantino said the
world’s governing body could do more to
help the continent.
“FIFA can do a lot for Africa, helping
them by investing in basic necessities,”
he said.
“Sometimes they even struggle to
organise games because the travel costs
are too expensive: that shouldn’t be
happening.”
Seven candidates are in the running to
succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA president
for the February 26 election next year.
The other five candidates are Prince Ali
Bin Al Hussein, Musa Bility, Jerome
Champagne, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim
Al Khalifa and Tokyo Sexwale.
Asian football head Sheikh Salman is
expected to step aside should Platini
emerge unscathed from the
investigation.
But until then Infantino said he will
continue to act as though he was a
candidate: “Maybe it’s premature to be
having that discussion. All I can say is
relations with Asia and South America
are good.
“But before talking politics, I have to talk
about football. I have to convince the
others my arguments are solid and make
them understand the Europeans are not
just rich and arrogant.
“To do this, I will soon travel around the
world: to talk with the federations, try to
understand their problems and to garner
their support.”
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