The French Football Federation (FFF) has officially withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino‘s re-election campaign as Fifa president. This decision follows a series of events concerning Fifa‘s governance and the president’s initiatives, which the FFF states have negatively impacted football’s image and unity. The FFF‘s withdrawal of support comes after it had initially pledged backing for Infantino in June.
The FFF‘s move aligns it with other national associations, including those from England, Italy, the Republic of Ireland, and Scotland, which had previously withdrawn their endorsement. The decision by the FFF was announced on Thursday, with the federation stating that the conditions for its initial support are no longer met.
A key factor in this shift was Infantino‘s abandoned proposal to sell stakes in Fifa competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. This plan generated significant global opposition, with Uefa, European football’s governing body, even threatening a boycott of all Fifa competitions. The proposal was ultimately scrapped due to a coordinated response within Uefa and other confederations.
Despite the abandonment of the investment proposal, the FFF maintains that the issue of Fifa‘s governance remains unresolved. Philippe Diallo, president of the FFF, commented that a project with such a substantial impact on football’s future should not have been considered without thorough information, extensive consultation, and a fully transparent decision-making process. He added that Fifa‘s governance does not meet the standards expected of football.
The FFF, a founding member of Fifa, intends to contribute to a vital debate regarding the future of football, its regulation, and development. To this end, the federation has committed to initiating consultations with various stakeholders. These include confederations, national associations, players, supporters, and governance experts.
The objective of these consultations is to encourage collective reflection and to formulate proposals aimed at a comprehensive transformation of Fifa‘s governance. The ultimate goal is to restore confidence, enhance transparency, and ensure the independence and exemplary conduct of world football’s governing body. The FFF believes that Infantino‘s recent initiatives have seriously damaged the image and unity of football.
Infantino is still planning to run for re-election in March, with Fifa confirming he will seek a fourth term in the presidential election. He remains the only declared candidate for the upcoming election. Despite mounting criticism and external pressure, a Fifa spokesperson confirmed last Sunday that Infantino‘s ambition to run again is unchanged.
While Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation, and Concacaf (North American governing body) have called for Infantino to step down, he continues to receive backing from Conmebol (South America’s governing body) and CAF (African governing body). Uefa has also pledged to offer a credible alternative candidate for voting associations to consider before the 18 November submission deadline.
The FFF‘s press release on Thursday highlighted that a series of events involving Fifa‘s governance and its president, in direct conflict with fundamental principles of good governance and football values, occurred after the FFF expressed its initial support on June 29.
The federation’s decision underscores a broader sentiment among some European member associations regarding the need for significant reform within Fifa. The call for a far-reaching transformation of Fifa‘s governance aims to address concerns about transparency and the overall management of global football. The FFF‘s withdrawal of support adds to the pressure on Infantino ahead of the Fifa presidential election in March.
Source: bbc.co.uk
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