FairSquare presses federations to challenge Infantino eligibility

Human rights organisation FairSquare has urged FIFA member associations to challenge Gianni Infantino’s eligibility for next year’s presidential election, arguing that another term would breach the governing body’s statutes.The organisation’s Reboot campaign has written to national federations and launched a tool enabling supporters to ask their associations to act, escalating a complaint submitted to FIFA’s governance authorities in August.Former FIFA governance committee chairman Miguel Maduro, who helped prepare the complaint, said: “Article 33, paragraph two of the FIFA statutes is very clear when it says no person may serve as president for more than three terms. Gianni Infantino has been elected three times. He has been president of FIFA for three terms. So, there’s no way to reconcile another term for Gianni Infantino with this rule.”Infantino was elected in 2016, 2019 and 2023, but FIFA’s Council unanimously confirmed in December 2022 that his initial three-year period did not count towards the limit because he was completing an interrupted mandate.That interpretation permits him to seek another four-year term in March 2027, potentially extending his presidency to 2031.FairSquare argues that the Council’s decision conflicts with the wording and purpose of the term limit and bypassed the authority of FIFA’s Congress.Its October 30 letter to member associations included the complaint filed with the Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee on August 13, warning that a disputed fourth term could leave FIFA in “a state of legal uncertainty”.Maduro said the appropriate route was to seek a ruling from FIFA’s review committee and, if it upheld Infantino’s eligibility, appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.He continued: “It should be the FIFA review committee that decides on the eligibility of anyone wanting to run for FIFA president. The FIFA Council has no competence in this matter. The text talks about three terms. There is no distinction whatsoever about complete or incomplete terms, four-year terms or terms that may be shorter than four years.“The rule is intended to limit the concentration of power, so any interpretation that expands power needs to be supported by very strong arguments.”FairSquare says FIFA has never published the reasoning behind the 2022 interpretation. Its position remains a challenge to that decision rather than a binding determination that Infantino cannot stand.The review committee’s three members, Bruno Chiomento, Chris Mihm and Molly Rhone, replied on August 18 that they would “read and consider the points FairSquare raises in due time”.Questions about the review process have also focused on Chiomento’s independence, given his involvement in approving benefits for FIFA’s president.According to Le Monde, UEFA secretary general Theodore Theodoridis raised concerns about Chiomento’s independence and impartiality in an October 19 letter to FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström.Theodoridis asked whether FIFA would consider Chiomento’s recusal and replacement by his deputy for the presidential election.The report followed scrutiny of FIFA’s agreement to cover Infantino’s US tax liabilities during his Miami assignment. FIFA has maintained that its internal procedures and applicable laws were followed.FairSquare has contacted 52 member associations and is seeking support from federations willing to pursue the eligibility issue before the November 18 nomination deadline.Director Nicholas McGeehan said: “Given that the NFF have already engaged the Ethics Committee and the Governance Committee, we are hopeful they will set an example on this case too. But other associations also need to step up, it can’t always be left to the Norwegians to insist on basic rules.”The campaign’s supporter tool identifies the relevant national association and provides a draft email requesting action, extending its effort beyond direct correspondence with football officials.Maduro argued that reluctance to challenge FIFA’s leadership reflected a wider accountability problem.He said: “We’ve seen that whoever acts on their own and challenges and shows a dissenting voice, gets ostracised, gets set aside, loses influence in the framework of power.”Infantino has strengthened his electoral position through support across several confederations, including an endorsement from AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, but Maduro warned that changing the president would not by itself resolve FIFA’s governance weaknesses.He added: “My fear is that replacing Infantino is not enough. We’ve seen this in the past. It could be a positive step but FIFA needs much more than replacing its president. I fear the new president will be more or less the same as Infantino.”