Day -839. WorldCup2018
I'd like to think that it was due to my question to Canada Soccer that the President, Victor Montagliani, announced this evening that the Canada Soccer will be voting for Gianni Infantino in tomorrow's Fifa election. Of course it was. It is more likely that they gave up on waiting for an official endorsement of a candidate from CONCACAF. The CONCACAF executive was due to meet in Zurich on Thursday evening to discuss endorsing a candidate. With no news forthcoming, and with some countries in the region already annoucing their intentions, it looks like all the CONCACAF countries are free to vote independently. This is where this election could be won or lost, unless Africa does split into a large voting bloc for Infantino as he maintains is going to happen.
More realistically than Canada Soccer being influenced by my question, yet with the same lack of hope, is my wish that the Maltese FA are bluffing and are not really voting for Prince Ali. I fear a wasted vote. The huge majority of UEFA associations are voting for Infantino (43 out of 53 confirmed by my count) and Malta, out of loyalty, close friendship or some other questionable reason say they are sticking with Prince Ali. This election is going to be very close and if the controversial Sheikh Salman wins by one vote I may have to renounce my Maltese citizenship. Seeing as I don't hold citizenship of any other country then I will probably have to prepare myself to be one of those people living in limbo in an airport for a while, eating airport food, sleeping on airport chairs and befriending the night cleaning crews. All because the MFA couldnt get over themselves, stick with their European family and put an X by Gianni Infantino's name.
I have not missed that this evening the U.S Soccer Federation also announced that they will be voting for Prince Ali. Their reasons may be similar to those of the MFA. However, I have full faith in the Americans voting for Infantino in the expected second round when Prince Ali is eliminated. It would be inconceivable that they could vote for the Sheikh with his questionable background as part of the ruling family of a country with a questionable understanding of democracy and human rights. Malta? I'm not so sure what they might do in the second round. Prince Ali and Sheikh Salman are rivals within the Asian confederation but if the MFA go against the common UEFA vote in the first round why would they become European in the second round?
If the majority of Africa stick with the Sheikh, then apart from the CONCACAF factor, the Prince Ali factor will be huge in the second round. It is unlikely that there will be a two-thirds majority in the first round, so where will all Prince Ali's votes go? Even if CONCACAF all go with Infantino with Sheikh Salman's backing in Asia and Africa it may come down to that one MFA vote. No pressure there, Mr. MFA President. Oceania may save you anyway.
(As a note of interest all of the above may be a moot point if the delegates at tomorrow's Fifa Congress don't approve the proposed reforms to be presented before the election. New president with no change? They might as well bring Blatter back. As much as I go on about the election it is the package of reforms that needs to be implemented more than a new face).
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