Rome, 17 Aug. (LaPresse) – The human rights organisation FairSquare has lodged a formal complaint arguing that FIFA President Gianni Infantino should be declared ineligible for another term, stating that he has reached the maximum limit of three terms permitted by the statutes. This is reported by The Athletic. Although Infantino was first elected in 2016 following Sepp Blatter’s resignation, in 2022 he succeeded in demonstrating that his first term in office had simply completed an interrupted term and should not be counted towards the term limit. Nicholas McGeehan, director of FairSquare, and Miguel Maduro, former chair of FIFA’s Independent Governance and Audit Committee, have stated that not counting Infantino’s first term as valid breaches FIFA’s rules and undermines fundamental governance reforms – the very ones designed to limit the president’s power. The election is scheduled for 18 March in Morocco, ahead of the FIFA Congress, where Infantino is expected to stand for re-election for the 2027–31 term.
FIFA, human rights NGOs against Infantino: ‘Ineligible’
Rome, 17 Aug. (LaPresse) – The human rights organisation FairSquare has lodged a formal complaint arguing that FIFA President Gianni Infantino should be declared ineligible for another term, stating that he has reached the maximum limit of three terms permitted by the statutes. This is reported by The Athletic. Although Infantino was first elected in 2016 following Sepp Blatter’s resignation, in 2022 he succeeded in demonstrating that his first term in office had simply completed an interrupted term and should not be counted towards the term limit. Nicholas McGeehan, director of FairSquare, and Miguel Maduro, former chair of FIFA’s Independent Governance and Audit Committee, have stated that not counting Infantino’s first term as valid breaches FIFA’s rules and undermines fundamental governance reforms – the very ones designed to limit the president’s power. The election is scheduled for 18 March in Morocco, ahead of the FIFA Congress, where Infantino is expected to stand for re-election for the 2027–31 term.