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FIFA: Gianni Infantino elected president at the Extraordinary Congress in Zurich on 26/02/2016
News Tank Football -
Paris - News #63448 - Published on 26/02/16 at 18:50
Gianni Infantino (Italy-Switzerland) was elected FIFAFédération Internationale de Football Association
president for three years (2016-2019) at the end of the second round of the voting, during the Extraordinary Electoral Congress of the international federation in Zurich (Switzerland) on 26/02/2016.
Gianni Infantino received 115 votes of the 207 votes cast (55.5%) in the second round of the election. Sheikh Salman garnered 88 votes (42.5%) in the second round. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive at least two-thirds of the votes cast of the 207 federations with a vote at the Congress. From the second round forward, a simple majority (over 50%) of valid votes cast was sufficient to win.
Born on 03/03/1970, Gianni Infantino has been the general secretary of UEFAUnion of European Football Associations
since October 2009. He has held several positions, including in the legal field, in the European confederation since joining UEFA in 2000. He declared his candidacy for the FIFA presidency on 26/10/2015, the deadline to do so (four months to the day before the Electoral Congress). Infantino's candidacy came after Michel Platini, the UEFA president who had announced his candidacy for the FIFA post on 27/07/2015, was suspended on 08/10/2015.
The term of Gianni Infantino to the presidency of FIFA extends to the Ordinary Congress of the international federation in 2019, the first Congress after the close of the 2015-2018 four-year fiscal cycle.
Results of the first round of voting
Votes required: 138 (two-thirds of the 207 votes cast)
Gianni Infantino: 88 votes
Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa: 85 votes
Ali Bin Al Hussein: 27 votes
Jérôme Champagne: 7 votes
Results of the second round of voting
Votes required: 104 (simple majority of 50%+1 of the 207 votes cast)
Gianni Infantino: 115 votes
Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa: 88 votes
Ali Bin Al Hussein: 4 votes
Jérôme Champagne: 0 votes
"Football needs a strong, experienced leader" (Gianni Infantino in his speech before the election)
"I believe in fate, and I think everything happens for a reason. Just a few months ago I started a journey that I did not foresee by running for the presidency of FIFA.
Many things have happened in recent months. FIFA's image is tarnished. I decided to act rather than to hide. I want to do what is right for FIFA and for football.
I have travelled the world. I was in Africa, Cairo (Egypt), the day after the announcement of my candidacy, and I finished my campaign on Robben Island in South Africa with Tokyo Sexwale, who showed what football brought them while at Robben Island.
I have visited many countries, and I have seen what happens there and what we can do together there for football.
We in Europe must do more for football. Europe must do more for the world."
Gianni Infantino, in his speech before the election, on 26/02/2016
"I'm a candidate and I also have to be able to present myself as who I am: a claimant who the UEFA Executive Committee and the European federations have asked to run. That said, I was very clear: I'm loyal to Michel Platini. Maybe I'll also be criticised for that. I repeat -- if Michel can and wants to be a candidate, I will not run against him." (10/11/2015)
"Is it normal that only 18% of revenues are redistributed by FIFA for football development? I'm a man of numbers. I know how much it costs to organise a Euro or a World Cup. Savings can be made. UEFA has as many staff as FIFA, but FIFA costs more." (01/02/2016)
"There are a number of important things that I want to see happen on that front. For example, a system of more equitable and more transparent transfers, limit abuses and tackle the system of operations of external parties. FIFA must tighten the screw." (05/02/2016)
Gianni Infantino is the eighth European president in the history of FIFA
Gianni Infantino is the ninth president of FIFA since its creation in 1904.
He is the eighth European to lead the international federation.
The Brazilian Joao Havelange, who turns 100 years old on 08/05/2016, is the only non-European leader to have been president of FIFA, from 1974 to 1998.
FIFA: nine presidents in 112 years
Since 26/02/2016: Gianni Infantino (ITA-SUI)
1998-2015: Joseph Blatter (SUI, photo) (Issa Hayatou, CMR acting president from 08/10/2015 to 26/02/2016)
Member / Membre @ International Olympic Committee (IOC / CIO)
President / Président @ FIFA
Elected president of FIFA on 26/02/2016.
UEFA general secretary since october 2009.
• Date of birth: 03/03/1970
• Citizenship: Swiss and Italian
Prior to joining UEFA in 2000, lawyer Gianni Infantino worked as the secretary general of the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) at the University of Neuchâtel (SUI), having previously been an adviser to a variety of football bodies, including the Lega di Serie A (ITA), the Spanish LFP (Professional football league) and the SFL (Swiss Football League).
Fédération Internationale de Football Association
president for three years (2016-2019) at the end of the second round of the voting, during the Extraordinary Electoral Congress of the international federation in Zurich (Switzerland) on 26/02/2016. 
Union of European Football Associations
since October 2009. He has held several positions, including in the legal field, in the European confederation since joining UEFA in 2000. He declared his candidacy for the FIFA presidency on 26/10/2015, the deadline to do so (four months to the day before the Electoral Congress). Infantino's candidacy came after Michel Platini, the UEFA president who had announced his candidacy for the FIFA post on 27/07/2015, was suspended on 08/10/2015.
