Soccer-FIFA's Infantino letter is ploy for re-election, says German FA chief

A letter from FIFA President Gianni Infantino this week to all 211 members, offering to discuss reforms within world soccer's governing body, amid an ongoing crisis over his failed plan to sell ‌a stake in the World Cup, is a mere ploy to get himself re-elected, Germany's Football Association (DFB) President Bernd Neuendorf said on Tuesday.

In Monday's letter seen by Reuters, Infantino proposed an independent review of FIFA's decision-making process, in a move that could help him regain support after the withdrawal of his controversial private investment plan. Striking a ‌conciliatory tone, he also said he would propose consultations with confederations, member associations and other stakeholders about strengthening FIFA's decision-making.

Infantino faced a fierce backlash over his ‌proposal to sell a 20% stake in FIFA's commercial rights, including the World Cup, to private investors. The plan was abandoned in July after strong opposition and boycott threats, with UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF calling for changes to FIFA's leadership. CHANGE IS NECESSARY

They had said there had been no consultation with any continental confederation at any stage, with Infantino acting alone. UEFA has ⁠said a change ​in leadership was now necessary with the ⁠European body having lost faith in the current president. "I regard Gianni Infantino’s letter as a transparent ploy to secure his re-election next year," said DFB President Neuendorf on Tuesday. "Fundamentally, FIFA now seems ⁠to have recognised that changes are essential.

"However, Gianni Infantino is definitely not the right person to lead a reform process. He has squandered all credibility.“ Neuendorf is also a member ​of the FIFA Council, the organisation's main decision-making body. Infantino also said in the letter that member associations' positions on proposals or governance matters would not ⁠affect their treatment by FIFA, whose development and solidarity programmes would continue under existing rules.

The Swiss is up for re-election in March next year, with his opponents struggling to find a candidate to ⁠challenge ​the president. Sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters this month that he still had enough votes to win, prompting opponents to focus on curbing his powers. 'NOT RESTORED TRUST,' SAYS DUTCH FA

The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) echoed the sentiments. "For us, this has not restored trust," a Dutch FA spokesperson was quoted as saying by ⁠ANP news agency.

"The proposed actions are partly in line with our call for reforms within FIFA. Practice will show whether that is actually the case. The KNVB, ⁠one of FIFA's founding members in 1904, ⁠last month had said it wants to host an international summit in Amsterdam to completely overhaul FIFA, calling for Infantino to be replaced by 2027 as part of sweeping reforms in the organisation.

"At the same time, the proposals cannot be ‌viewed separately from the (public) pressure, ‌and they would not have emerged without the current dynamics," the spokesperson added. (Reporting ​by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond)