The world governing body for football, Fifa, has a new president. Gianni Infantino, who is the ninth person to hold the job, was elected at the Fifa congress in Zurich on Friday. He has a formidable job ahead of him as he takes the helm of the world’s most popular sport.
In background, Mr Infantino is not radically different from the former president, Sepp Blatter. The 45-year-old lawyer comes from Brig in the Valais region of Switzerland, less than 10 kilometres from Mr Blatter’s hometown of Visp. What he needs to prove is that there is a vast distance between him and Mr Blatter, whose tenure was riddled with controversy.
The billions of football fans worldwide want to see proof of his commitment to carry out the reforms approved by Fifa members on the day of his election, and to clean up Fifa’s battered reputation. Mr Infantino has promised to “restore the image of Fifa and the respect of Fifa”, which will not be an easy task. He must cooperate with investigations into past corruption and make it clear that all future actions at executive level, and throughout the organisation, will be beyond reproach.
As the reforms state, there must be clear separation between Fifa’s strategic interests and management functions, and all Fifa executive salaries should be disclosed publicly. Executives and new Fifa Council members should be subject to eligibility and integrity checks. Financial transparency and personal integrity are especially important if Fifa is to escape the ghosts of the past.
Football is a beloved sport that transcends nationality and language. From a few children kicking around a tattered ball in remote parts of Africa to the huge crowds that attend fixtures at Etihad Stadium and Camp Nou, it is truly a game that knows no boundaries. Those who administer the sport have an obligation to prioritise the concerns of the players and the fans rather than pursue self interests.
Mr Infantino has only 60 days to begin implementing the reforms that will hopefully demolish the ugly reputation of the beautiful game. We wish him well.
