Gianni Infantino will stand in the FIFA presidential election with the unanimous backing of UEFA’s Executive Committee.
A statement from European football’s governing body confirmed Infantino’s candidacy, but that does not mean the end of Michel Platini’s continued participation in the contest to succeed Sepp Blatter.
Platini is currently banned from football, and an investigation into an allegedly “disloyal payment” he received from FIFA remains ongoing, but sources close to the Frenchman say he will “absolutely not withdraw” from the race and has vowed to clear his name.
It now seems likely that if Platini is cleared, he will be UEFA’s candidate and Infantino will drop out of the race. If however Platini is not cleared, then Infantino can stay in.
There are now eight candidates in the election and there could yet be a ninth entry to the contest before Monday night’s 11pm deadline – Brazilian great Zico. All candidates need five letters of support from FIFA member nations, and he currently has four. He is now desperately seeking one more so he can enter the race.
A UEFA statement on Infantino read: “The forthcoming election for a new FIFA President represents a crucial moment in the governance of the game and the future of FIFA itself.
“We believe that Gianni Infantino has all of the qualities required to tackle the major challenges ahead and to lead the organisation on a path of reform to restore FIFA’s integrity and credibility.
“Gianni has done a great job at UEFA, has a proven track record as a top class administrator and built positive relations with football stakeholders around the globe.
“He has been a long-time advocate of the need for change and renewed development at FIFA and would bring a refreshing and informed voice to the top table of football’s world governing body.
“We are delighted that Gianni has agreed to stand and he knows that he has our full support in his campaign to become FIFA President. He is in the process of submitting the required nominations and will issue a statement on his candidacy later today.”
Liberian FA boss Musa Bility and the president of the Asian Football Confederation, Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, also announced their candidacies on Monday.
source-->Dailytimes.com.ng