Infantino may be talking up his support publicly to try to build a sense of momentum going into the final days of the campaign, but there are suggestions that former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has helped his position in Africa.
Advertisement
Both men were talking at a news conference held together after visiting Robben Island, where Sexwale spent 13 year imprisoned.
“In the discussions I’ve had with many African presidents, I can say I feel very confident”, he added.
Infantino made a short-notice visit to South Africa at the invitation of presidential rival Tokyo Sexwale, where the two met at Robben Island, the prison where Sexwale was incarcerated because of his opposition to apartheid.
Federation Internationale de Football Association presidential candidate Gianni Infantino is confident of taking more than half the votes from Africa in Friday’s election, despite the continent’s governing body endorsing his major rival Sheik Salman of Bahrain.
Sexwale, whose campaign has failed to gain traction, is the first in the process to suggest he could be interested in striking a deal with another candidate.
For Infantino, appearing alongside Sexwale was bound to lead to speculation he was seeking an endorsement from one of his opponents. “It’s a large continent that must be represented and I’m happy to be one of the top five (candidates)”, Sexwale said. He said he would be happy to forge an alliance with Infantino, but the Swiss-born UEFA official rejected the idea. “I am open to alliances, I am open to negotiations”.
It was also announced today that Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali, who lost out to now banned President Sepp Blatter in last year’s election, topped a global fans poll conducted by campaign group #NewFIFANow. With Salman counting on a similar majority of the 46 AFC votes to go with his African backers, it would make race truly competitive.
Advertisement
Champagne urged Fifa election monitors on Monday to cancel 20 extra passes for “observers” from Uefa and seven for the Asian Football Confederation to enter the election hall in Zurich.
