FIFA Elects New President in Bid to Clean Up Scandal-hit Image_美文

FIFA Elects New President in Bid to Clean Up Scandal-hit Image

Football’s (soccer's) world governing body FIFA has elected a new president after its former leader, Sepp Blatter, was forced to step down last year after being charged with corruption. New president Gianni Infantino faces a huge task in trying to clean up the body.

Infantino won with a majority in the second round of voting - gaining 115 votes from the representatives of 209 nations. He pledged to rebuild the scandal-hit organization.

“I want to work with all of you together, with all of you, in order to restore and rebuild a new era in FIFA, a new era in FIFA where we can put again football in the center of the stage," said Infantino.

Infantino won 27 more votes than his closest rival – the favorite, Bahrain’s Sheikh Salman al-Khalifa.

The Swiss-Italian lawyer was secretary-general of European football’s governing body, UEFA.

His former boss at UEFA, Michel Platini, was implicated in a $2 million corruption scandal that also swept away the former president of FIFA, Sepp Blatter. Both Platini and Blatter have been banned from football for six years.

That opened the route for Infantino’s shot at the FIFA presidency.

Sports historian Philip Barker says Infantino has tried to reach out to smaller footballing nations.

“He has also offered to expand the World Cup to 40 teams. A lot of countries are going to be greatly attracted by the increased prospects of qualifying for the greatest football show on Earth," said Barker.