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FIFA said late Saturday it will not support any process to elect the organization's president outside its official statutes, as divisions over Gianni Infantino's leadership deepen ahead of his bid for a fourth term.
In a statement, FIFA, football's global governing body based in Zurich, Switzerland, said it 'will not support, facilitate or tolerate any process concerning the election of the FIFA President that is inconsistent with FIFA's Statutes, democratic procedures and established governance framework.'
FIFA said Infantino was democratically elected by its member associations and continues to hold their mandate. The organization said its position echoed recent statements from the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), along with discussions held with member associations and confederations worldwide.
FIFA accused unnamed individuals of a concerted effort to undermine the organization and its president through allegations, insinuations or misinformation, arguing they sought to achieve through such means what could not be accomplished through FIFA's democratic processes.
The statement follows reports by The Daily Telegraph concerning payments made by European football's governing body UEFA to a former employee during Infantino's tenure as UEFA's general secretary. Infantino has denied the allegations, and FIFA has rejected them as unfounded.
The controversy has intensified divisions over Infantino's leadership ahead of the FIFA Congress in Morocco in March, where he is expected to seek a fourth term. No clear challenger has emerged.
UEFA has said it no longer has confidence in Infantino. Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness called for his resignation on Friday, saying he lacked the institutional trust needed to lead FIFA.
Infantino retains significant support among FIFA's 211 member associations. CAF backed his leadership unanimously on Thursday, while CONMEBOL rejected any attempt to remove him without a vote by all FIFA members. Mexico's football federation also expressed support, while the Confederation of North, Central American, and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) called for a "comprehensive reckoning" with his presidency.
FIFA said it "welcomes legitimate scrutiny," but that scrutiny does not permit the distortion of facts or the amplification of unsubstantiated allegations. The organization said its responsibility lies with its member associations and said it would continue its work without distraction.
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