October 9 – African football supremo Patrice Motsepe has confirmed that the continent will support FIFA president Gianni Infantino for re-election, claiming that good governance is “matter of life and death.” 

Next year, FIFA will stage presidential elections at the world federation’s annual congress in Rabat, Morocco and notwithstanding a series of major controversies, including the FIFA Forward Enterprise, the FIFA Peace Prize and the Balogun saga during the World Cup, Motsepe, the South African billionaire, CAF president and long-time ally of Infantino, reaffirmed his support and that of the continent for the embattled FIFA president. 

 “When I was asked a few months ago – ‘why is Africa supporting Gianni Infantino?’, we took a resolution, unanimous, that we support him and we will stand by him for the next elections. I want you all to stand up, and clap hands for Gianni,” said Motsepe.

The delegates at the CAF strategy conference in Cape Verde stood up compliantly and clapped for Infantino, who clapped along, for 24 seconds.

Motsepe explained: “There are these suggestions that we are not as committed to governance, to transparency, to ethics. For us, governance and ethics, transparence and due process is a matter of life and death.

“Everybody has the right to be heard. If anybody has allegations against Gianni Infantino or me or any other president, go to the FIFA ethics. All of us are accountable,” said Motsepe.

The FIFA president was in attendance in Cape Verde. He said: “It’s the responsibility of FIFA, CAF and your associations to create opportunities and find resources – so that these opportunities can become a reality. And it’s our responsibility to create opportunities and find the resources for these opportunities.

“Now of course, when you go on a journey, sometimes concerns are raised – and when concerns are raised, we have to address them. As far as we are concerned at Fifa, we address them always with the spirit of what Mario Semedo said – the spirit of dialogue, with open arms, an open heart, an open mind, because we can always be better and do better.” 

Cape Verde was the latest stop on the campaign trail for Infantino, who has criss-crossed the globe in the last few weeks in a private jet provided by Qatar. In whirlwind fashion he visited the Caribbean before flying to Latvia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and the Czech Republic to whip up support. 

Azerbaijan, the home country of Elkhan Mammadov, has promised its support to Infantino, breaking European unity. It’s also understood that Latvia will back the FIFA president. 

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