Gianni Infantino should be declared ineligible to stand for another term as Fifa president because he has already served the maximum three terms allowed under the governing body’s statutes, human rights group FairSquare has claimed.
Presidents of Fifa are restricted to three terms in office. However, in 2022 Infantino successfully argued that his initial period in charge – which began when he was elected at an Extraordinary Congress in 2016 following Sepp Blatter’s resignation – should not count towards that limit as it merely completed an interrupted mandate.
In a letter sent to Fifa’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee (GACC) as reported by The Athletic, FairSquare stated that this interpretation runs contrary to Fifa statutes.
“The complaint we have filed provides clear evidence that this is a clear breach of the rules and one that sets a very dangerous precedent,” FairSquare director Nicholas McGeehan told Reuters.
“The rules state clearly that three presidential terms is the maximum allowed, Fifa can’t simply circumvent this rule – which serves as a check on presidential power – by saying that his first term doesn’t count.”
FairSquare also questioned the transparency of the 2022 ruling, noting that the committee never published its underlying rationale.
“The fact they didn’t provide any reasoning to support this claim, and that they announced the apparent decision two days before the final of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, suggests that they knew full well that there was no basis to discount Infantino’s first term,” McGeehan said.
The submission to the GACC was prepared alongside Miguel Maduro, the former head of Fifa’s independent Governance and Review Committee, who emphasised that the organisation cannot disregard its own rules.
“The principle of term limits was a fundamental aspect of the 2016 reform aimed at limiting power and the rule introduced is clear: no FIFA President can serve more than three terms of office,” Maduro said in a statement.
“Trying to carve out an exception to such a rule for Mr Infantino reveals both a resistance to the principle of term limits and how some at Fifa conceive of rules not as rules but as obstacles to be circumvented.”
Infantino faces mounting scrutiny ahead of next year’s Fifa Congress in Morocco on 18 March, where he is anticipated to seek re-election for the 2027-31 cycle.
Last week, Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf requested a review of Infantino’s conduct after Fifa proposed creating a $20-billion subsidiary linked to its competitions, including the World Cup, to attract private investment. Sources with knowledge of the matter said those three confederations viewed the letter as an opportunity for Infantino to step down with his dignity intact.
Concerns have also been expressed by individual national associations. Scottish Football Association chief executive Ian Maxwell told the BBC on Monday that his federation would not support Infantino’s re-election.
Infantino, however, retains the backing of both the South American and African confederations.
Reuters has contacted Fifa for comment.
