African votes belong to me, Infantino boasts

FIFA dismisses Prince Ali’s request
Electioneering for the Fifa presidency reached fever pitch yesterday after Gianni Infantino claimed more than half of Africa’s 54 voters would rebel against their own confederation and support him.

Infantino made the bold assertion during a visit to Robben Island with rival candidate, Tokyo Sexwale, declaring: “I will have a majority of the African votes.”

If true, that could hand Infantino a surprise victory in the race to succeed Sepp Blatter, with the Uefa general secretary already boasting public support from Europe and South and Central America.

The Confederation of African Football had publicly backed Sheikh Salman Ebrahim Al-Khalifa earlier this month, which was seen as a sign the vast majority of its members would vote for him.

Infantino said his contrary belief came from private visits to Africa, Fifa’s largest confederation by number of voting countries.

“In the discussions I’ve had with many African presidents, I can say I feel very confident,” he added.
Infantino was visiting the prison where Nelson Mandela was jailed during apartheid on the invitation of South African businessman Sexwale, who was also a former political prisoner on the island.

Sexwale said he invited all four other candidates, but Sheikh Salman of Bahrain, Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, and Frenchman Jerome Champagne could not find time in their schedules just four days before the election in Zurich.

Appearing together at a news conference, Infantino and Sexwale called the South African visit symbolic, but the importance of Africa’s votes to Infantino’s chances was perhaps underlined by his decision to make the last-minute trip.

Having received the invitation just a few days ago, the Swiss arrived from Geneva yesterday morning before making a 13-hour flight back to Switzerland.

Sexwale has struggled to gain support in his campaign and, when his home African continent snubbed him in favor of Salman, he denied he would withdraw before the election.

For Infantino, appearing alongside Sexwale was bound to lead to speculation he was seeking an endorsement from one of his opponents.

But Infantino said there were no deals on the table yet.Sexwale, however, said he was “a realist,” and the time would come to talk to his opponents should, as expected, he fail to gain significant support in the election.
“Towards the finishing line there will be alliances,” Sexwale said. “I am open to alliances, I am open to negotiations.”

Prince Ali, meanwhile, was planning yesterday to test Fifa’s resistance to transparent voting booths by having some sent to Zurich in time for Friday’s election.

Football’s world governing body had dismissed his request for such booths to be used during the congress.
Culled from Telegraph.co.uk