Football united behind Infantino, says leading FIFA official

Disgraced football leader Michel Platini said on September 14 in a farewell speech to UEFA that he felt no guilt over a $2 million payment from FIFA that has seen him suspended for four years. / AFP PHOTO

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, the subject of criminal proceedings in Switzerland, enjoys the unconditional support of football associations around the world, the global soccer body’s general secretary Fatma Samoura said on Friday.

Swiss authorities said last month that proceedings had been launched against the current FIFA boss by a special prosecutor looking into meetings he had with Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber. Lauber and Infantino have denied wrongdoing.

“The world football is strongly united behind the FIFA President,” said Samoura in a statement, adding that in the last few days she had attended 25 virtual meetings during which Infantino spoke to the presidents of 180 national associations.

“To hear all of them expressing total and unconditional support to the FIFA President is certainly heart-warming,” she said.

 “There is clearly a strong feeling among FIFA member associations that under President Infantino, FIFA is by far a more transparent, accountable and especially better governed institution.”

She added that the Swiss case was not considered a big issue among the national associations.

“The general opinion was that President Infantino will come out stronger from this difficult moment. Almost no question was asked about the investigation,” she said.