The Swiss Football Association (SFV) confirmed on Wednesday that it has ended its backing for Gianni Infantino’s campaign to secure another term as Fifa president.
At a meeting this week, the executive committee overturned its earlier endorsement of Infantino, who was born in Brig, an Alpine community in the southern Swiss canton of Valais. The association had initially supported his candidacy in June.
“This decision was made after a thorough review of developments in recent months,” the SFV said in a statement. “In the SFV’s view, several events have raised serious concerns about leadership, governance, transparency and decision-making within Fifa.”
Infantino, who is seeking re-election in March, has encountered increasing resistance since proposals to sell a share in Fifa competitions, including the World Cup, became public in July. Strong criticism prompted officials to quickly abandon those plans.
The SFV’s move represents another setback for Infantino. Football associations in England, Wales, France, Serbia and several other European nations have already withdrawn their endorsements before the election. Uefa has promised to nominate an opposing candidate before the November deadline.
Infantino has led Fifa since 2016 but has faced demands to step down as calls intensify for changes to the organisation responsible for governing world football. The 56-year-old recently told member associations in a letter that he was willing to discuss reforms, although the SFV said important questions about Fifa’s responsibilities and decision-making procedures remained unresolved.
“Since these matters have not been addressed in a convincing way, we can no longer justify supporting Gianni Infantino’s candidacy,” the SFV said.
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