Six Arab Football Association Heads Back FIFA President Gianni Infantino
ZURICH, August 13 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — The heads of six Arab national football associations declared their support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Thursday after three regional confederations called for his resignation over a withdrawn private investment proposal.
The joint statement was signed by the leaders of the football associations of Qatar, Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan, Egypt and Mauritania. Four of the six signatories are also members of the FIFA Council. Morocco is a co-host of the 2030 World Cup.
The statement said: “Recognizing the important role of Arab football in bringing people together and strengthening cooperation among football associations across the Arab world, we…express our full support for Mr Gianni Infantino , president of FIFA, and reaffirm our confidence in his leadership and continued commitment to the development of football worldwide”
UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF have called for Infantino to step down following the failed attempt to bring private investment into FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. Infantino is seeking reelection next year.
The proposal would have separated the World Cup’s commercial rights and sold a 20% stake to private investors, raising an estimated $4.2 billion. It also included a $20 million grant for each member association during the next funding cycle, with the amount potentially doubling for associations that signed the deal.
The three opposing confederations represent 136 of the 211 member associations eligible to vote in the FIFA presidential election in March.
The six federation heads also said: “We deeply appreciate Mr Infantino’s sustained efforts to advance football globally, expand opportunities across all the regions and strengthen the game’s role in bringing people and communities together”
“We look forward to continuing our close cooperation with him towards a stronger and more prosperous future for world football, expanding opportunities and further enhancing Arab football’s contribution to the global game”
Source: Reuters
