Pix Courtesy: news.yahoo.com
Gianni Infantino has succeeded Sepp Blatter as the new president of FIFA after winning an election that went to two rounds on Friday in Zurich.
The 45-year-old UEFA General Secretary, a lawyer and sports administrator, who joined European football’s governing body in 2000 and rose through the ranks, became FIFA’s first new president in 18 years.
Blatter, who is serving a six-year ban from football, announced his resignation last June following a corruption scandal that engulfed the organisation in May.
Infantino was elected in the second round of voting with 115 of the 207 votes from FIFA’s national associations, defeating Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who had 88.
“We will restore the image of FIFA and everyone will applaud us,” Infantino said in his acceptance speech.
Infantino led the first round with 88 votes, followed by Sheikh Salman with 85, Prince Ali with 27, and Champagne with 7.
South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale had also been running for the presidency but dramatically withdrew from the race right before voting began, ending his address by saying: “It’s your problem now.”
http://footballlive.ng/footballnews/world-news/infantino-emerges-fifa-president-tokyo-quit-in-zurich/
