Asian football chiefs have reversed course and thrown their support behind Fifa president Gianni Infantino, just weeks after accusing him of a fundamental breach of trust.
The Asian Football Confederation’s decision marks another serious blow to efforts aimed at removing Infantino from the Fifa presidency, leaving European governing body Uefa increasingly isolated in its opposition.
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa addressed the organisation’s extraordinary congress directly, offering a clear endorsement of Infantino’s leadership ahead of the next election.
Sheikh Salman told the congress: “We reaffirm our full commitment to supporting you and your leadership as you seek a new mandate as a Fifa president.”
He continued: “I think you have visited a lot of countries in Asia, spoken to a lot of members within this continent. I know your feeling, and I think your commitment is clear as well. Your support to Gianni is very clear.”
Sheikh Salman added: “So that’s why Gianni I want to make it clear: yes, we had some issues, we spoke about them in the past, but let’s not relate the two things together.”
He closed his remarks by declaring: “The last few days we met in Zurich, you made it clear there was a clear understanding between us and that’s why we’re happy to have you here as well. As one Asian family, we are ready to move forward, united in your support, Gianni.”
The declaration represents a remarkable reversal from AFC, which joined Uefa and North American and Caribbean confederation Concacaf in August to condemn Infantino following the leak of his plan to partially privatise Fifa’s World Cup business.
A joint statement signed by all three confederations at the time read: “Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding or demanding power to be held. It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it.”
The statement further warned: “When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.”
The confederations also stated: “We have taken this stance: not lightly and not alone, but together, and out of duty to the game we serve.”
Infantino has since successfully fragmented that coalition of opposition by securing support among Caribbean nations, effectively splitting the Concacaf vote from within.
He then secured backing from influential Arab nations including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which appears to have been the deciding factor in bringing the AFC into line behind his leadership.
The Fifa election is scheduled to take place in March, and any candidate wishing to stand against Infantino must formally declare next month, with no serious alternative yet having emerged.
Uefa continues to pursue legal action in the US courts against Infantino and others connected to Fifa Forward Enterprise, the privatisation scheme that would have sold a 20 per cent equity stake in a new commercial vehicle to investors including Joshua Kushner for $4 billion.
Efforts to secure documents relating to Fifa Forward Enterprise have so far been frustrated, with Uefa told at last week’s Fifa Council meeting that any request would need to be submitted in writing.
Infantino has apologised to the Fifa Council for sidelining its members during talks with investors, though critics argue his delays in producing the relevant documents are a deliberate strategy to stall any electoral challenge until the declaration deadline passes.