By Andrew Warshaw
August 24b – The idea of turning the FIFA presidency into a rotating arrangement on a Continental basis is being mooted in the higher echelons of global football administration according to a German publication.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports that the revolutionary initiative, which would need a two-thirds majority of FIFA members to approve it, has been discussed “in powerful circles” though no time or date has apparently been tabled.
The report, if true (and it’s a big if since to be approved, it will probably need UEFA, Asia and half of Africa to stand together) it will make interesting reading for Gianni Infantino who has already stated that he intends to stand for re-election next year in Paris.
It is also likely to create plenty of geo-political debate especially in Asia, which lost out last time when Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa was beaten by Infantino.
The rotation idea is nothing new, however. Three years ago when he was running Fifa’s audit and compliance unit before being forced to resign in protest at what he perceived as a power grab by Infantino’s regime, Domenico Scala offered the same reflections.
Having FIFA’s six confederations take turns to lead world football’s governing body, he said, would address a number of governance issues.
“Every confederation could appoint a president on a rotation of four or six years – I think four would be better,” Scala said at the time.
“A system of a rotating president would reflect much better the diversity of football and would stop any individual from becoming too powerful.”
“It would be part of the checks and balances that are needed to avoid corruption and conflicts of interests of the kind that have affected FIFA in the past.”
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