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Infantino leads after 1st round of FIFA vote to replace Blatter
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SOCCER leaders have started voting for a new FIFA president with Asian confederation head Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain, and Gianni Infantino, the Swiss general secretary of European governing body UEFA, the frontrunners to replace Sepp Blatter.
No candidate was elected in the first round late yesterday as none of the candidates received the required two-thirds of the 207 votes cast.
Infantino received 88 votes. Sheikh Salman took 85 votes, with Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan on 27 votes and Jerome Champagne picking up seven votes.
A two-thirds majority of 138 is needed for outright victory.
A second round of voting was under way, in which a simple majority will be enough to elect a candidate.
Four candidates are in the contest after South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale withdrew at the end of a lively, funny and unscripted speech to the 207 eligible voters.
“My campaign is suspended as of now,” said Sexwale, who pledged himself ready to serve the winner and received a standing ovation from many delegates.
Sexwale, a former anti-apartheid activist who turns 63 on March 5, revealed during his 15-minute speech that his son was born three days earlier.
Sheikh Salman is backed by most voters in Asia and Africa.
Still, a strong late push was made by Infantino, who was expected to be Sheikh Salman’s main rival. Infantino spoke in several languages without notes and portrayed himself as a leader for the world, not just his own wealthy confederation.
“We have to get Europe to do much more,” Infantino said.
“You do not deserve leadership marked by controversy ... empty promises, fear and condemnation,” Prince Ali said in his address.
Speaking right after the prince, Sheikh Salman quickly aimed a barb at Prince Ali for reading from notes.
The sheikh won applause when he said it was “better to speak from the heart rather than be dictated through a paper.”
Before electing FIFA’s first new president since 1998, 87 percent of the 207 voting federations passed wide-ranging reforms to protect against corruption and curb the powers of its new president.
Those include preventing presidents from serving more than three four-year terms, reducing their powers and guaranteeing more independent oversight for FIFA’s decision-making and spending.
The executive committee will be renamed the FIFA Council with more female members while there will be stricter integrity checks will also control top officials.
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