By Andrew Warshaw
January 13 – He may only be standing for FIFA president by default but Gianni Infantino nevertheless believes he is the right man to lead the organisation into a new era of transparency and credibility.
The UEFA general secretary, who will have to be replaced if he lands the big one on February 26, was confirmed last week as Europe’s candidate when Michel Platini officially withdrew from the election to concentrate on trying to clear his name over his eight-year ban.
Until Platini was caught up in the FIFA corruption scandal, Infantino had his mind firmly fixed on UEFA matters but has now been catapulted into the spotlight. He is due to take part in a debate of presidential candidates in Brussels later this month.
Asked what he would do to reform FIFA when reporters nabbed him at this week’s Ballon d’Or celebrations in Zurich, Infantino said: “I think FIFA needs to come back to football and I think I am somebody who can bring FIFA back to football, together with all these players, together with the clubs, together with the associations.
“And in addition to this I have, I think, some quite good experience in managing UEFA which is a very professional organisation.
“The organisation has to be about transparency, it has to be about football, and our job is to make sure we are open, we are transparent and we can organise football and do football.”
European football’s governing body holds its latest executive committee at its Nyon headquarters next week where discussions, either formally or informally, seem sure to include the electoral process for succeeding both Platini as UEFA president if the Frenchman’s ban is upheld and, if he wins the FIFA presidency, Infantino as UEFA’s number two.
While other candidates are self-funding their campaigns, UEFA is funding Infantino’s push for the presidency from their resources.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734922256labto1734922256ofdlr1734922256owedi1734922256sni@n1734922256osloh1734922256cin.l1734922256uap1734922256