A British football association has become the first FIFA member to officially pull its support for Gianni Infantino's re-election following his plans to 'sell off' the World Cup.
The FIFA President is under huge pressure after his plans to create a private company, open to investment, to run its headline competitions like the World Cup in order to raise billions of pounds for the organisation. Even after cancelling the project, which was going to be led by a close Donald Trump ally, Infantino's position looks tenuous after Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was 'the wrong man' to lead world football.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has now written to FIFA to withdraw its support for Infantino's re-election, becoming the first national football association to do so.
The FAW also backed a boycott of FIFA competitions until the plans were killed orchestrated by European governing body, UEFA. CONCACAF, its North American counterpart, also criticised the plans as key advisers to Infantino also resigned in protest.
Italian Infantino is due for re-election in March, but his future at the top of world football looks in doubt after this latest scandal.
Now, the FAW has heaped pressure on his tenure, officially withdrawing its support for Infantino’s re-election, according to reports.
The association told Sky News it "hereby confirms its withdrawal of support for the candidature of Mr Gianni Infantino, for re-election as FIFA President for the 2027-2031 term.
"The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgment have led us to a position where Mr Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football.
"Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.
“The Football Association of Wales has written to FIFA to inform them of their position.”
Other British football associations are yet to follow suit, but all approved the UEFA boycott. However, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has gone one step further and said Infantino is ‘the wrong man’ to lead FIFA.
Source: Manchester Evening News
--Agencies
