By Andrew Warshaw
January 21 – The divisions within UEFA over whether to back Gianni Infantino at the forthcoming FIFA presidential campaign have once against been exposed, this time by one of Europe’s most influential powerbrokers.
Russian sports minister and FA boss Vitaly Mutko, one of Europe’s three representatives on the FIFA executive committee, has described Infantino’s idea of playing the World Cup in entire regions as pure electioneering.
The concept is included in Infantino’s election manifesto, published this week, but Mutko, whose country is staging the 2018 World Cup, described it as “a campaign idea.”
“I do not think this idea is good,” Mutko told Tass in an interview. “The World Cup is a grand and unique event. Everyone, however, has his own opinion. But I believe that the identity would be lost as well as the holiday of a particular country and culture.”
Mutko’s comments are somewhat untimely given that Infantino, in the absence of the banned Michel Platini, is taking centre stage at a meeting of UEFA’s executive committee today and tomorrow.
The UEFA general secretary, who has also backed calls to increase the number of teams at the World Cup from 32 to 40, would have withdrawn from the Presidential race had Platini been able to stand. Although Germany and Portugal have both stated they will support him on Febriary 26, Luxembourg’s FA president revealed earlier this week that there was no agreement to vote as a bloc.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734865949labto1734865949ofdlr1734865949owedi1734865949sni@w1734865949ahsra1734865949w.wer1734865949dna1734865949