By Andrew Warshaw in Cardiff
March 4 – As a statement of intent in terms of doing away with the excesses of the past, Gianni Infantino could hardly have made a more telling start. For his first overseas assignment as the new FIFA president, there was no private jet, no first class travel and not even a scheduled airline as Infantino, exactly a week after being elected in succession to Sepp Blatter, hopped on an Easyjet flight from Geneva to attend the annual International FA Board meeting in Cardiff via nearby Bristol airport.
Infantino insisted it was not a deliberate move to distance himself from the Blatter regime but it was a strong message just the same in terms of slashing travel costs.
“I came with Easyjet today because it was the best option,” said Infantino. “It wasn’t a problem at all. We are normal people and we have to behave like normal people. I can’t say it will always be the case but everyone should work to optimise costs. We have to be responsible with what we do with the money.”
With only those accredited for IFAB permitted to attend Infantino’s first overseas press conference as Blatter’s successor, the new man at the helm was in relaxed mood as he put on a charm offensive to the small throng of scribes and cameramen.
He admitted he was still getting used to his new position, a major step up from UEFA general secretary, but seemed to know exactly what questions would be thrown at him.
First among them was his reaction to the damning German FA report surrounding the 2006 World Cup bid which identified a payment from then organising chief Franz Beckenbauer via a Swiss bank account to scaffolding company Kemco in Qatar, the owner of which was disgraced former FIFA official Mohammed Bin Hammam.
FIFA has already put out a statement saying it partnered the Germans in the investigation and denounced lack of co-operation. “Many questions still remain to be answered,” FIFA said. “FIFA’s investigation has been hampered by the fact that key witnesses were not willing to answer questions or provide documents…”
Infantino, who flew to IFAB having attended as an observer his final UEFA executive committee meeting, said he still had to catch up on the implications of the German report but that it was “important to get as much clarity” as possible.
The main business for IFAB on Saturday will be to rubber-stamp the introduction of video technology along with possible amendments to the controversial “triple punishment ” rule.
“It’s good that for my first official trip, we are talking about football and the laws of the game,” said Infantino. “Tomorrow is an important day. We cannot close our eyes to progress (but) any experiment will have to evolve and adapt over time.”
Perhaps the only time during a 30-minute session with assembled media that Infantino became agitated was when he was asked to react to the news that he would be paid less than his general-secretary, expected to be appointed at FIFA’s May congress or slightly later. His answer was pretty direct: woe betide anyone who downplays his new position.
“I was elected by the FIFA congress to be the leader of FIFA, not to be the ambassador of FIFA or to be the deputy of the general secretary of FIFA,” he snarled.
Pretty hard-hitting and contentious stuff especially given the respective changing roles of the two positions under the new FIFA reforms designed to bring about a more democratic and inclusive approach in contrast to the autonomy wielded under the Blatter regime.
But Infantino did acknowledge that his number two, whoever that is, would play an important role. “The chemistry has to work. And as I have said before, he will not be a European.”
The last question put to Infantino was one he must have considered countless times. Was he simply just in the right place at the right time, Michel Platini’s suspension having thrown him an unexpected golden opportunity? “Of course there was one eye laughing and the other crying,” he replied. “But you can’t look back. I’m going to try to bring FIFA back to where it belongs.”
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