GIANNI Infantino yesterday cited a litany of reasons for his organisation’s woes with “fake news” and “alternative facts” topping the list as he addressed the 67th Fifa Congress at Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre in Sanabis.
Much like a seasoned Grand Master, the Fifa president stoutly defended his leadership and, while taking on his critics, sounded more like US president Donald Trump.
But unlike a champion Grand Master, he could not checkmate his critics given that the middle game had got complicated and the end game clearly messy following the latest scandal involving the unceremonious removal of two Ethics Committee heroes amid chaotic circumstances.
“We are rebuilding the credibility of Fifa. The new Fifa is a democracy it is not a dictatorship,” Infantino said.
“New Fifa, it is a transparent organisation, not an organisation that is fiddling around with facts and figures. It is a deeply honest organisation, not an organisation that looks to spend money without purpose.”
Then the rhetoric favoured by president Trump.
“Fake news, alternative facts, these terms did not exist until some time ago, they have become en vogue,” said Infantino.
“There’s a lot of fake news and alternative facts about Fifa circulating – Fifa-bashing has become a national sport, especially in some countries.”
The Congress confirmed that the two men responsible for rooting out corruption in the world game – Hans-Joachim Eckert and Cornel Borbely – would be replaced.
The meeting backed the recommendation of the all-powerful Fifa Council, chaired by Infantino, to replace them with the former president of the European Court of Justice Vassilios Skouris of Greece and Colombia’s Maria Claudia Rojas.
But Infantino denied this had put back any anti-corruption agenda.
“Fifa has changed now, this is a new Fifa and we are new people here and we act with facts, not with words,” he told Congress.
The Swiss-Italian also took the opportunity to showcase his multilingual talent alternating between English, French, German and Spanish as he defended the organisation of which he became president 15 months ago.
“Nunca mas – never again,” he added in clear reference to corruption once more having a tsunami effect on the most popular game on the planet.
“If there is anyone in this room or outside this room who still thinks he can enrich himself I have one clear and strong message to tell him: leave, leave football and leave football now,” said Infantino.
“We don’t have to bullshit with alternative figures,” he said referring to the ‘solid financial’ state of Fifa.
Infantino also criticised “highly-paid experts” who did little to help reform.
“In the past, many highly-paid experts paid millions have been hired by Fifa to help reform Fifa, but what did they do? They simply rubber-stamped a wrong system.”
Another high point for Infantino was when the delegates backed the proposal to replace the ousted Ethics Committee members with 97 per cent of the votes.
The Congress, meanwhile, ratified a decision to open up the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup to any federation except those from Asia and Europe.
Infantino also raised the prospect of a “world women’s league”, but gave no further details.
And there could potentially be new regulations placed on transfers, he speculated, following news earlier this week that Fifa is investigating the £89.3-million ($111m) transfer of Paul Pogba to Manchester United from Juventus.
Among other decisions taken during the Congress included expanding the World Cup to 48 teams from 2026.
n ‘Storm in a tea cup’ n Thank you for coming to Bahrain n Palestine decision put off n Congress diary