Human rights organization FairSquare has formally urged FIFA to declare Gianni Infantino ineligible for another term as president, arguing that he has already served the maximum three terms permitted under the governing body's statutes. The complaint, sent to FIFA's Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee (GACC), challenges the interpretation that allowed Infantino's first term to be excluded from the limit.

FIFA presidents are restricted to three terms in office. However, in 2022, Infantino successfully argued that his initial tenure, which began when he was elected at an Extraordinary FIFA Congress in 2016 following Sepp Blatter's resignation, should not count toward the limit because it completed an interrupted mandate. FairSquare contends this interpretation is inconsistent with FIFA's own rules.

"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," said Nicholas McGeehan, FairSquare's Director, in an interview with 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."

Infantino faces mounting scrutiny ahead of next year's FIFA Congress, where he is expected to seek re-election for the 2027-31 cycle. The vote is scheduled for March 18 in Morocco. Last week, UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF called for 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 situation told Reuters that the three confederations viewed the letter as an opportunity for Infantino to step down with his dignity intact.

Several national associations have also voiced concerns. Scottish Football Association chief executive Ian Maxwell told the BBC that his federation would not support Infantino's re-election. However, Infantino retains the backing of the African and South American confederations.

FairSquare also questioned the transparency of the 2022 ruling, noting that the committee's reasoning had never been made public. "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 letter to the GACC was drafted with assistance from Miguel Maduro, the former head of FIFA's independent Governance and Review Committee, who stated that the governing body 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. 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," Maduro said.

Source: www.aljazeera.com