The FA "agreed to back" UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino's candidacy for the FIFA presidency at a board meeting on Wednesday, according to the BBC. Infantino, 45, is "one of five candidates looking to replace" Sepp Blatter on Feb. 26. Infantino, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Tokyo Sexwale and Jérôme Champagne "are vying to replace Blatter." Switzerland's Infantino and Sheikh Salman of Bahrain are "frontrunners to win the election in Zurich." FA Chair Greg Dyke's proposals to reform the FA "were also discussed at the board meeting" on Wednesday and will be voted on in May (BBC, 2/17). The AAP reported Australia is an "undecided voter heading into next week's FIFA presidential election," balancing the twin priorities of "reforming the troubled world body and maintaining good relations within Asia." Under previous Football Federation Australia Chair Frank Lowy, Australia "came out strongly" for reformist Prince Ali against Blatter in last May's election. Prince Ali "lost the two-man contest to Blatter." Failing to vote for Sheikh Salman, who has the backing of the AFC's exec committee, "could be problematic." Australia is "eager to work within and not around" its Asian neighbors (AAP, 2/18). In Gibraltar, Mark Viales reported the Gibraltar FA "has backed" Infantino. Gibraltar will not participate in the vote due to its pending appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Brussels to become a FIFA member but has "made its feelings clear in support" of Infantino (GIBRALTAR CHRONICLE, 2/17).
SANCTIONS: REUTERS' Joshua Franklin reported FIFA's ethics watchdog on Wednesday imposed a warning and 7,000 Swiss franc ($7,055) fine on Franz Beckenbauer for "stonewalling an investigation." The former World Cup-winning player and coach is "arguably Germany's most iconic footballer and a household name who also ran the 2006 World Cup in his home country." FIFA's ethics panel said, "In the present case, Mr. Beckenbauer failed to cooperate with an Ethics Committee investigation... regarding the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup bids despite repeated requests for his assistance." The ethics panel added that the present case "did not look into matters" related to the awarding of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Beckenbauer "could not be immediately reached for comment." His eventual collaboration with the investigation "was the reason for the light sanction" (REUTERS, 2/17).
AWAITING APPEAL FATE: The PA reported Blatter and banned UEFA President Michel Platini are "expected to discover later this week whether their respective eight-year suspensions from all football-related activity will stand." Blatter made a "low-profile appearance" at an appeal hearing in Zurich on Tuesday, "evading reporters and photographers on his way in and out of his old headquarters." His visit "followed one day after that of Platini." Lawyers for Blatter have indicated they "expect to discover the verdict later this week." If the appeals fail, both men are "expected to take their fight to the Court of Arbitration for Sport." The FIFA appeals committee, which is chaired by Bermuda FA President Larry Mussenden, has "the power to reduce, increase or overturn the bans imposed in December" (PA, 2/17).
PUTIN TRIBUTE: REUTERS' Dmitriy Rogovitskiy reported UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Lokomotiv Moscow midfielder Dmitri Tarasov "for wearing a T-shirt praising Russian President Vladimir Putin after a Europa League match in Turkey." The 28-year-old Tarasov removed his team jersey at the end of the game against Fenerbahce in Europe's second-tier club competition in Istanbul on Tuesday, revealing a picture of Putin and the words: "The most polite president." Lokomotiv described Tarasov's actions as "inexcusable" (REUTERS, 2/17).
