BERN, Switzerland (AP) — Gianni Infantino formally lost support from his home nation Switzerland on Wednesday for the FIFA presidential election next year over concerns for the integrity of the world soccer body.
European soccer body UEFA has led calls to remove its long-time former employee Infantino either before or at the FIFA election in March, because of his failed proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
The Swiss federation also cited concern Wednesday for the integrity of competitions after pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump not to impose a mandatory one-game ban on the World Cup co-host nation's forward Folarin Balogun from a round of 16 game against Belgium earlier this year.
Citing the need for credibility, transparency, accountability and effective statutory bodies, the Swiss federation said they were “essential to have trust in the governance of international football and in the integrity of FIFA.”
These conditions were no longer fulfilled since June when it first pledged support for Infantino, the Swiss federation said.
Infantino had seemed set to win a fourth and final term in office through 2031 unopposed until his secretive plan to create a commercial subsidiary company was revealed by media reports on July 28. The plan was dropped within days amid a global backlash.
UEFA is set to meet with its 55 member federations next week in Berlin to work toward finding a candidate to challenge Infantino by a Nov. 18 deadline to enter the contest. The vote by 211 FIFA member federations is on March 18 in Rabat, Morocco.
