Friday, February 26, 2016

Lawyer to help: Who will fight against corruption in FIFA – RBC

The new FIFA President Gianni Infantino Photo: AFP

New FIFA president Gianni Infantino was not the race favorite, but his victory is to arrange all from European and Russian officials to the US prosecutors

at the end of two rounds of voting at the extraordinary FIFA conference in Zurich, the new president of the federation on Friday was elected to the Swiss Gianni Infantino. In the first round, he secured the support of only 88 of the 207 delegates, while the two-thirds majority was needed to win. But in the next, where the winner was determined by a simple majority, Infantino has received from national football federations 115 votes

The main opponent of the Swiss and the leader of the race was considered, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa -. The head of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which unites national associations in Asia. In the first round, he received 85 votes in the second round – 88. Earlier, Western media reported that Sheikh Salman secured the support of the Asian and African confederations – the sum they would give him exactly 100 votes

<. strong> Man Platini

Gianni Infantino relied on the support of the European confederation UEFA and South American KONEMBOL (53 and 10 votes, respectively). Find out who specifically from countries as a result voted for one candidate or another, it is impossible – immediately after the counting of the results of the election commission FIFA destroys ballots

Having worked for over 15 years in the UEFA, the last seven years as its general secretary Infantino. considered a figure close to Michel Platini, the former president of the European Confederation. Platini himself in the autumn of 2015 became embroiled in a corruption scandal, after which the FIFA Ethics Committee suspended him from all football activities. The former captain of the French national team was forced not only to resign as head of UEFA, but also to withdraw his candidacy for the FIFA president election.

After that, the actual management of the UEFA transferred to the Secretary General of the Confederation. Infantino’s candidacy for the presidency of FIFA UEFA Executive Committee unanimously supported the end of October 2015, even before the official dismissal Platini.

The Swiss Italian origin, Infantino was born in 1970 in the town of Brig, in the south of Switzerland. A native of the nearby town of FISP is a former president of FIFA, Joseph Blatter. A professional lawyer, Infantino in 1990 worked in the Center for the Study of Sports at the University of Neuchâtel, and the summer of 2000 moved to UEFA for the post of legal adviser.

Four years later, a young professional led all the legal department of the UEFA, engaging in including issues of cooperation with European governments and the European Union. Since 2007, he served as deputy secretary general of the Confederation, the second person in the confederation. In this capacity, Infantino was working on financial and organizational issues, the strengthening of international cooperation.

As recalled by the BBC, one of the main election promises Infantino was the democratization of the organization of the world championships, first of all, increase the allowable number of World Cup participants from 32 to 40 teams. Also, the new president is planning to allocate the national federations for the development and popularization of football for about $ 5 million every four years (just over $ 1 billion).

Towards mundialyu

The candidacy of European Infantino is the most acceptable for Russia, as even before the elections said sports Minister Vitaly Mutko. “We support Infantino. But the main thing is that on Friday, FIFA president was chosen, whose candidacy would really supported by the majority of federations “-. The minister said, who also heads the Russian Football Union

Since the beginning of the corruption crisis of British journalists, and then and the European Parliament called for the right to deprive Russia of the 2018 world Cup. But Infantino in early February, arrived in Moscow to discuss preparations for the mundiyalyu Mutko. “Russia is very important for football, it should be one of the leaders of world football, to set an example, – he told Swiss reporters. – I am ready to work with Russia, not only in preparation for the World Cup, but in general for the entire football world »

In just a few days prior to arrival, presenting in London, his electoral program, Infantino has promised by 2018. year to learn Russian to be able to communicate with Russian journalists without an interpreter. Who is the new head of FIFA speaks six languages.

Just how important to FIFA’s relations with Russia, said the close cooperation with the Football Federation of the corporation “Gazprom”. In autumn 2013 the gas company has become an official partner of FIFA for the period 2015-2018, and in January – the title sponsor of the Russian edition of the FIFA website.

Restoring Confidence

As the new president of FIFA Infantino have to work in a renewed governance structure: earlier Friday delegates received overwhelming majority of votes (89%) of a package of administrative reforms designed to improve the transparency of FIFA bodies and protect it from corruption

The first principle of the reform -. division of responsibilities. FIFA Executive Committee (a permanent management body in between congresses) will give way to the FIFA Board consisting of 36 people from the six regional confederations football. The largest representation (nine delegates) will get the UEFA European smallest (three delegates) – Oceania Football Confederation. It is noted that at least six members of the board should be women.

FIFA Council chaired by its president, will mainly develop the organization’s strategy and general development. General Secretary of FIFA and its secretariat will assume executive functions and will be engaged in short-term planning and commercial matters. In part, this is a realization of the idea of ​​the division of Sheikh Salman FIFA commercial and organizational activity until the establishment of two separate organizations

The second component of the reform -. Openness. All policymakers organization (President, Secretary General, heads of committees and board members) will need to publish information about their income each year, which will then be verified by independent auditors. According to the British The Independent, it is the most important part of the reform – as the foundation for the fight against corruption and as a sign that football officials are willing to sacrifice their private rights to restore confidence

Finally, the third part of the reform -. Removability authorities. The powers of FIFA senior managers (from the president to the heads of the committees) will be limited to three terms of four years each. Of the eight previous FIFA presidents only four functionaries held this post for 12 years or less. Three of them (except for the first FIFA President Robert Guerin) died in office.

The only person who in the course of the Friday conference openly spoke out against the proposed reforms, became a delegate of Palestine to Gonzalo Boye. “Openness proclaimed aim of the reform, but in reality, FIFA has gone in the opposite direction, – he said. – Neither of which the balance is no question: the power of the secretary general increase, the president’s power will weaken, and the decisions will still be made by the Board »

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The main problem that will face the new president of FIFA, it is the consequences of the scandals of 2015, including economic ones. On the opening day of Congress, Acting Secretary General of FIFA Markus Kuttner announced, due to legal and image loss organization will miss $ 550 million in revenue from the planned four-year cycle on the 2014-2018 $ 5 billion

The expected loss of almost four times. exceed the damage allegedly caused by FIFA officials for decades corruption. In May 2015, on the eve of the next presidential elections in the organization, the Swiss police at the request of the FBI arrested seven FIFA’s top executives on suspicion of taking bribes of $ 150 million. Corruption schemes, believes the prosecution acted over the past 24 years. In the end, he was forced to leave and re-elected FIFA President Joseph Blatter: Swiss authorities suspected him of illegally transferring $ 2 million from the accounts of FIFA at the expense of Platini in 2011. It B OARD FIFA Ethics recognized Blatter and Platini guilty of abuse of power and embezzlement and eight years removed them from any activity related to football. An appeal has helped them to reduce the time limit for only two years.

Total criminal charges were brought against 38 officials and businessmen, as well as the two companies related to FIFA. Most of them are awaiting extradition to the United States. Only five defendants in the case pleaded guilty, three were released on bail, the rest are under arrest. The only person who is brought before a US court, and refused to admit guilt, began in December Hector Trujillo, a former secretary general of the Federation of Guatemala football and former judge of the Constitutional Court of the country.

Voice of the people

before the voting results are announced unequivocal leader in the eyes of the bookmakers has become Sheikh Salman. The site of the Irish bookmaker Paddy Power quotes in his favor look like 1/3, which means that a player, put on the candidature of Salman $ 3, would have received a $ 1 payoff. Accordingly, the probability of winning Salman Paddy Power is estimated at 75%. In second place with a solid margin was Infantino (rate 5/2, or 28% probability) for him.

The British bookmaker William Hill has closed betting on the nomination of the new head of FIFA on the eve of the vote. “A favorite for us is Sheikh Salman, although Gianni Infantino also reasonably confident of victory, – the press service of William Hill. -. In any case, it looks like the race of the two horses, and the victory will go to those who can better prepare the horse in the last days before the elections »

According to William Hill, win with a probability of 65% won a Sheikh Salman ( rate 8/15). Chances Infantino British bookmakers estimated at 40%.

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