Soccer-Swiss Football Association withdraws support for Infantino


The headquarters of the Swiss Football Association (ASF - SFV) is pictured in Bern, Switzerland August 9, 2021. Picture taken August 9, 2021. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

ZURICH, Sept 30 (Reuters) - The ⁠Swiss Football Association (SFV) has withdrawn its support for Gianni ⁠Infantino's bid for another term as FIFA president, the ‌organisation said on Wednesday.

The executive committee reversed its support for the Swiss soccer administrator in a meeting on September 25 after endorsing his candidacy in June.

"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," it added.

Infantino, who is seeking re-election in ⁠March, has faced growing opposition since his bid ​in July to ‌sell a stake in FIFA tournaments, including the World ⁠Cup, which he ​was forced to abandon.

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 ahead ​of the election. UEFA has pledged to present a rival candidate before the November deadline.

The 56-year-oldInfantino, who has been FIFA president since ⁠2016, has faced calls for his resignation amid widespread pleas for reform in global soccer's governing body.

Infantino 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.

"As ​these have not been convincingly clarified, we ‌cannot justify continuing to support Gianni ​Infantino’s candidacy,” the SFVadded.

(Reporting by Marleen Kaesebier in Zurich, additional reporting by Chiranjit Ojha, editing by Ed Osmond)

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