ROME (AP) — The Italian soccer federation became the latest in a growing list of nations to withdraw its support for embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The FIGC issued a statement on Wednesday saying it would no longer back Infantino's bid for reelection in March because of “the recent initiatives promoted by the FIFA president concerning governance and the development of international competitions.”
Infantino has come under increasing pressure to step down over his now-aborted plan to sell stakes in soccer’s biggest tournament, the World Cup, to private equity investors. Three of the sport’s continental confederations accused him of “deception” and European soccer body UEFA threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions.
“We will continue to work alongside UEFA and the other European federations to promote a vision of soccer based on merit, solidarity, sustainability, and the centrality of fans,” FIGC President Giovanni Malagò said.
“We identify with a model of dialogue, listening, and shared responsibility that has, until now, allowed soccer to grow, innovate and at the same time defend its founding principles.”
Romania followed suit on Wednesday, with the soccer federation's executive committee voting not support Infantino for a new mandate.
“FIFA needs today a new leader who can produce consensus and unity, inspire trust and who has the ability to bring us all together,” FRF President Răzvan Burleanu said at the end of the meeting.
Few countries still publicly supporting Infantino
The soccer federations in England, Wales and Ireland withdrew their support for Infantino’s reelection earlier this month, while Norway has called on him to step down as well as issuing a statement with five other Nordic countries — Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland and the Faeroe Islands — to say they had “lost confidence” in his leadership.
Infantino has been FIFA president since 2016 and, until the backlash over his proposals, seemed sure to be reelected unopposed next year in Morocco. FIFA has set a Nov. 18 deadline for challengers to nominate.
Some of FIFA’s 211 member federations are supporting Infantino, including 2030 World Cup co-host Morocco as well as Qatar, where he lived before the emirate hosted the 2022 World Cup, and Lebanon, which gave him citizenship this year. Saudi Arabia, the 2034 host, has not publicly backed Infantino despite his close political ties to the kingdom.
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The Associated Press
