The Swiss Football Association (SFV) has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino's bid for another term as Fifa president, the organisation confirmed on Wednesday.
The executive committee reversed its support for Infantino, who was born in Brig, an Alpine town in Valais canton in southern Switzerland, in a meeting this week after endorsing his candidacy in June.
Reassessment of developments
“The decision follows a comprehensive reassessment of developments over the past few months,” the SFV said in a statement. “From the SFV’s perspective, various incidents raise fundamental questions regarding leadership, governance, transparency and decision-making processes within Fifa.”
Infantino is seeking re-election in March but has faced growing opposition since his plans to sell a stake in Fifa tournaments, including the World Cup, were revealed in July. The subsequent outcry led to them swiftly being abandoned.
Growing opposition
The withdrawal is the latest blow to Infantino, with football associations in England, Wales, France, Serbia and other European countries having already pulled their endorsements before the election. Uefa has pledged to present a rival candidate before the November deadline.
Infantino, who has been Fifa president since 2016, has faced calls for his resignation amid widespread pleas for reform in the governing body. The 56-year-old wrote this month in a letter to member associations that he was open to talks over reform, but the SFV said key questions regarding Fifa’s responsibilities and decision-making process had been left unanswered.
Unanswered questions
“As these have not been convincingly clarified, we cannot justify continuing to support Gianni Infantino’s candidacy,” the SFV said.
