The new President of the International football Federation (FIFA) was elected General Secretary of UEFA Gianni Infantino. On Friday evening, February 26, in Zurich held a closed vote, which was attended by 207 delegates. To win in the first round of elections, a candidate had to score 2/3 vote of the delegates in the second round to get a simple majority.
Choose FIFA President in the first round failed: the incumbent General Secretary of UEFA Gianni Infantino voted 88 delegates. 85 delegates expressed their support for Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al Khalifa, who heads the Asian football Confederation.
The third in arrears on the first round was the Prince of Jordan Ali bin al-Hussein, which has enlisted the support of 27 delegates.
The outsider was former Deputy Secretary General of FIFA, Jerome champagne — for him voted only seven delegates.
For President claimed four candidates: Secretary-General of the Union of European football associations (UEFA), Gianni Infantino, the President of the Asian football Confederation Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al Khalifa, Prince of Jordan Ali bin al-Hussein and former Deputy Secretary General of FIFA, Frenchman Jerome champagne. The fifth candidate, ex-Minister for housing unit of the South African Republic Mosima Gabriel Tokyo Sexwale voluntarily withdrew his candidacy from the election.
Reorganization
In the morning session of the Congress the delegates adopted the package of amendments approved earlier by the Executive Committee of the Federation. Under the new rules, the President cannot serve more than three terms of four years each.
The Executive Committee decided to reorganize into another Advisory body — the Council of FIFA. The mandates of members of the Board will be limited to three terms of four years. The same terms now relate to members of the audit Committee and compliance with the FIFA regulations and judicial bodies of FIFA.
The FIFA Board will decide strategic issues of the Federation, as well as to supervise over the General Secretariat and committees. The General Secretariat will continue to deal with organizational issues and commercial activities.
The Board of the football Federation will consist of 36 people. Of them nine members of the League, seven from Asian and African football confederations, five from the Confederation of North, Central and South America as well as the 3 candidates from the Confederation of Oceania.
At the head of the Federation will continue to be the FIFA Congress of 209 national federations-members of the organization.
Now FIFA is headed by Issa Hayat — the interim President appointed after FIFA President Joseph Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini dismissed from the post in October 2015.
The suspension of Blatter and Platini have become the natural answer to the adjudicatory chamber of the ethics Committee on the corruption scandal.
The largest in the history of the football Federation scandal, or FIFA-gate, as called by the journalists of the Western media, erupted in may last year. 27 October in Zurich, the Swiss police arrested seven high-ranking Federation officials on suspicion of bribery. The arrest was carried out on representation of the FBI, which is investigating. Most of the detainees were accused of receiving large bribes in the review of applications of countries for the world Championships on football in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.
Candidates
Prince of Jordan Ali bin al-Hussein
The third son of Jordan’s king Hussein Ibn Talal, 40-year-old Ali bin al-Hussein participated in the elections of the head of FIFA for the second time: he was the only opponent of Blatter in the last election of the head of peredachi. Prince is currently the President of the Jordanian football Federation and head of the football Federation of Western Asia, and Since 2011 — Vice-President of FIFA. However, he was unable to enlist the support of the Asian Confederation of football, as most of the delegates will vote for their President Sheikh Salman. In his Manifesto he proclaims that he intends to restore the credibility of FIFA and enter into the work of the Federation, the management standards that would meet the present. Thus, he emphasizes that he is ready to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Switzerland in the investigation of corruption. Ali is the only candidate who openly criticizes Blatter. For the first two months of the Board of Prince Ali intends to fully evaluate the control scheme of FIFA, to begin the process of selecting the leaders of the Federation and to review the terms of selection of countries hosting the world Championships.
Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al Khalifa
Heading to the 2013 Asian football Confederation and Deputy head of the Disciplinary Committee of FIFA, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al Khalifa participates in the elections for the first time. To participate, he decided only after it became clear that Michel Platini, the most credible contender for the post, to participate in the election can not. Sheikh is an absolute favorite of today’s election: he’ll get the majority of Asian MPs and can count on the support of many representatives of the African continent.
It is believed that Salman may begin to distribute the responsibility between the authorities and the advisors to delegate authority. In the FIFA guide however, consider that the Federation in the time of crisis you need people who will take control of the organization entirely by myself.
Salman intends to publish the earnings reports of other high-ranking chiefs and FIFA split the guide into two groups — financial and is responsible for directly game — having done so with corruption.
Human rights organizations have accused al-Khalifa of complicity in “crimes against humanity” for what he allegedly headed the Committee, who accused 150 athletes, including a prominent international players, involvement in Pro-democracy demonstrations. Subsequently many of them were arrested and tortured. The Sheikh denies the charges.
Jerome Champagne
Former Deputy Secretary General of FIFA, Jerome champagne was going to participate in last year’s election of the head of Federation, but withdrew his candidacy three months before the vote, not gaining the required number of supporters. This year the support he received — his entire campaign is aimed at reforming FIFA and the desire to achieve justice in the global football community.
Champagne worked at FIFA for 11 years until, as he was dismissed by Blatter. Chances to win the Champagne is almost there, but he has all the chances to get into leadership due to their experience of the official. He assured that the Executive will be “real” not “nominal” by the President. In its election program champagne, declares that reallocates between countries where will be held the world Championships. Champagne also intends to make more transparent the scheme of FIFA, to develop the already existing programs of the organization and the rating of women’s football.
Gianni Infantino
The UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino draws on European Association as the “fallback” Platini. Within two months of the election campaign, he visited more than 70 countries and expects to enlist the support of all six confederations that constitute FIFA. At least he could count on the majority of the delegates from UEFA. In the election program Infantino include expanding the number of participants in the final stage of the world Cup from 32 to 40 teams, unlike other candidates. Infantino worked at UEFA for 16 years, since 2009 he has taken over as the Secretary General, and among candidates is perhaps the most reasonable, because it is part of the European football items. However, it can be a problem, because in other federations FIFA more UEFA, who believe that it is the cause of corruption. Among his campaign promises — to invest in the development of football 1.2 billion dollars, which is four of the total income of FIFA money as these national associations.
