German FA chief calls Infantino’s FIFA reform plan an ‘obvious election ploy’

FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s proposal to review the organisation’s decision-making process has been dismissed by German Football Association president Bernd Neuendorf as an “obvious election ploy” designed to secure another term in office.

Neuendorf, who is also a member of FIFA’s governing council, said Infantino had lost all credibility and was no longer the right person to lead football’s world governing body.

Infantino wrote to all 211 FIFA member associations this week, offering to discuss reforms after a prolonged governance crisis. In a conciliatory message, he proposed an independent review of FIFA’s decision-making procedures and said he would seek wide-ranging consultations with the confederations, member associations and other relevant stakeholders.

The FIFA president also attempted to reassure its members that their positions on the proposals or on governance issues would not affect how they were treated by the organisation. He said development and solidarity programmes would continue under the existing rules.

The initiative follows widespread criticism of Infantino’s proposal to sell a 20% share of FIFA’s commercial rights, including those connected to the World Cup, to private investors.

That plan was abandoned completely in July last year after strong opposition and threats of boycotts. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf had called for fundamental changes to FIFA’s leadership.

The confederations said at the time that none of them had been consulted at any stage and accused Infantino of acting alone. UEFA said a change in leadership had become necessary after it lost confidence in the FIFA president.

Neuendorf delivered the strongest response on Tuesday, according to Reuters. As a member of FIFA’s governing council, he sits on the organisation’s main decision-making body.

“I consider Gianni Infantino’s letter to be an obvious ploy to ensure his re-election next year,” Neuendorf said.

“It seems that FIFA has now recognised, in principle, that changes are necessary.”

He added: “However, Gianni Infantino is not the right person to lead the reform process. He has completely lost his credibility.”

Infantino is due to stand for re-election in March next year. Although finding a challenger is believed to be difficult, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters that his opponents now recognise he still has enough votes to win.

As a result, they are said to be concentrating on a different strategy: limiting Infantino’s extensive powers within FIFA rather than attempting to remove him from the presidency.