By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
February 25 – Among friends it was inevitable that Gianni Infantino would claim the biggest acclamation when the five candidates for FIFA president made their final pitches as dusk fell over Switzerland’s banking capital today.
Michel Platini’s replacement was told to go out and do the business as he thanked Europe for their support ahead of a final few hours of what is bound to be frantic lobbying by all the contenders.
Let there be no misunderstanding about the fact that the 45-year-old general secretary of UEFA only accepted going for the top job when no other credible European contender was willing to jump into the fray. A few months ago it was the furthest thing from his mind yet now he could be on the verge of one of the greatest pieces of opportunism in sports politics.
Infantino’s speech to UEFA’s 53 member federations was not the most relaxed or amusing. That accolade went to the rank outsider Tokyo Sexwale who may be a no-hoper but is still full of humour. “I spent 15 years in prison and I can only speak to you for 10 minutes?” joked the former Robben Island prisoner turned millionaire businessman for the second time in the day – he joked similarly at CONCACAF.
It drew a burst of hilarity across the room but everyone knew who the real star of the show was.
“Tomorrow is a day for us all to be united to elect Gianni as FIFA president,” said UEFA’s veteran Spanish acting president Angel Maria Villar Llona, slightly spoiling the pitch, with FIFA’s reform package on the table in a few hours’ time, by once again exposing his old-style conservatism as he couldn’t resist bemoaning the absence of Platini and insisting the Frenchman was innocent of any crime.
“I am convinced that I speak on behalf of all UEFA member associations when I say that Gianni is the candidate world football needs at this time. He is not Europe’s candidate, he is the candidate for football in every corner of the world,” Villar added as he returned to the business of the day.
As for Infantino himself, there was no need for a late burst of self-promotion. His audience already knew what he stood for. “This congress is a crossroads moment for FIFA as the world governing body of the world’s No1 sport,” he said.
“The decisions taken on Friday will shape football for generations to come and your association has the opportunity to vote to help create a new path based on renewal, prosperity and trust…
“It is now or never for FIFA to embrace change and to bring football back to the heart of FIFA, strengthening investment in football development, engaging properly with Associations across the globe, understanding their challenges and meeting their needs.”
Infantino once again defended the monstrous amount of development finding which has come under such scrutiny. “Very significant savings can easily be made in FIFA’s costs so that the amount for reinvestment in football I am proposing can be safely delivered,” he said.
“This is what FIFA should be about – football development, not politics, political intrigues or personal attacks.”
Shaikh Salman was respectfully low-key, almost as if he knew Europe was the one area he would pick up precious few votes. Perhaps he knew too he was out in front but he nevertheless made sure he said all the right things.
As for Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, the only candidate to contest two elections in nine months, the Jordanian must have felt a sense of déjà vu. Back in May, he too was among friends as the European candidate. Now he was in enemy territory but he spared no effort to try and tempt delegates into going back to him.
“Europe is a beacon of football… and if elected my goal would be to look to Europe and try to raise the rest of the world to the same standards ,” he said before revealing, with clear deliberation, that if elected he knew who his general secretary would be – and that he would be European.
Nice try to pinch late support among the same faces who backed him last time. The difference, of course, is that this time Blatter is no longer in the race.
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