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FIFA braces for poll amid plea to push reforms
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FIFA asked presidential candidates to provide details of their intended victory speeches ahead of tomorrow’s election in a bid to keep them on message while the governing body tries to repair its scandal-tarnished image.
The five contenders, who were to meet at a FIFA gathering yesterday, have also been provided with suggested answers to use in the post-vote news conference.
FIFA’s administration has brought in American lawyers and communications advisers while trying to preserve its victim status in US criminal corruption investigations.
But Gianni Infantino, one of the men in the running to succeed Sepp Blatter as president, said he will resist any attempts by FIFA to control what he says if victorious tomorrow.
“Everyone can propose whatever they want, I will say whatever I want,” Infantino said in an interview. “I am my own man. I am presenting a program. I will have a speech.
“And if I am elected I will stand in front of all of you (media) ... without any fear and say what I think and what should be done for FIFA and for world football.”
FIFA sees its request as necessary to ensure the new president protects the damaged institution and delivers key corporate messages that demonstrate the organization’s commitment to reform.
“I am not troubled (by the request), I can even understand they want to organize everything in a Swiss-German way,” Infantino said. “I know how to deal with these matters.”
Infantino’s main challenger is Asian soccer president Sheikh Salman of Bahrain. Former FIFA vice president Prince Ali of Jordan, former FIFA official Jerome Champagne and South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale are also in the fray.
Meanwhile, FIFA’s executive committee has called on the federation’s member associations to approve proposed reforms at tomorrow’s Congress and was informed that FIFA faced a financially “challenging” situation.
“The eyes of the world are on us this week after one of the most challenging times in our history,” acting FIFA president Issa Hayatou told the committee. “The approval of the reforms will send a strong message that we have listened and we are taking the action necessary to regain trust and improve our performance.”
FIFA has been shaken by an unprecedented graft scandal which has seen several dozen officials indicted in the US.
The reforms which will be proposed tomorrow include term limits for senior officials, and the replacement of the executive committee with a new FIFA Council. They can only be passed with the nod of 75 percent of member associations.
The committee also recommended that the Congress should delay any decision on Kuwait and Indonesia, which are currently suspended and cannot vote. This means that 207 federations, rather than 209, would be able to vote.
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