Belgian federation says it can’t back Infantino

BRUSSELS (AP):

The Belgian football federation says it cannot support Gianni Infantino’s bid for another term as FIFA president, citing transparency and governance concerns and the way the governing body handled the lifting of Folarin Balogun’s mandatory one-match suspension at the World Cup.

As head of world football’s governing body, Infantino has come under increasing pressure after his controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup triggered a fierce backlash. FIFA said on Sunday, however, that he intends to stand in next year’s elections for a final term in office through 2031.

The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said in a statement yesterday that its decision not to support Infantino was linked to the way FIFA had “shown no transparency” in dealing with both the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) case and Balogun’s red card.

Under the FFE proposal, FIFA sought to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors for US$4.2 billion. The proposal was withdrawn on August 1, just days after becoming public, following intense opposition.

“The RBFA notes that in this matter, a number of important decisions and assessments have, to date, not been sufficiently substantiated by adequate justifications,” the Belgian federation said.

“This raises questions regarding the transparency and governance of this process. We remain in close contact with UEFA and, together, we are seeking clear answers regarding the decision-making process and the next steps.”

UEFA, European football’s governing body, has led calls for Infantino’s departure, saying it had lost confidence in him and previously threatening to boycott FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. Several national associations, including England’s Football Association, have also withdrawn support for Infantino’s re-election.

Regarding the Balogun case, the Belgian federation said FIFA had failed to provide satisfactory explanations for the decision and how similar cases would be handled in future.

After US President Donald Trump called FIFA president Infantino, a one-match ban for Balogun’s red-card tackle against Bosnia-Herzegovina was deferred, allowing him to play against Belgium with a quarterfinal berth on the line. Belgium defeated the United States 4-1 after a chaotic 36 hours at the World Cup. Belgian players appeared energised by what became one of the tournament’s most controversial episodes.

“Two months after the events, we note that our questions remain unanswered to date,” said Pascale Van Damme, president of the RBFA. “Given the importance of transparency and clarity for all parties involved, we request the necessary explanations, and, at the same time, wish to explore where improvements to the current processes are possible so that similar cases can be handled in a clear, consistent, and efficient manner in the future.”

The Belgian federation has asked FIFA to place the Balogun case on the agenda for the next meeting of the FIFA Council, scheduled for October 15.