The Swiss Football Association (SFV) has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s bid for another term as Fifa president, the organisation confirmed on Wednesday.
The executive committee reversed its position at a meeting this week, having endorsed the candidacy of the Swiss-born Infantino back in June. Infantino was born in Brig, an Alpine town in Valais canton in southern Switzerland.
In a statement, the SFV said the decision followed “a comprehensive reassessment of developments over the past few months”, adding that various incidents raised fundamental questions about leadership, governance, transparency and decision-making processes within Fifa.
The withdrawal is the latest setback for Infantino, who is seeking re-election in March. Opposition to his candidacy has grown since his plans to sell a stake in Fifa tournaments, including the World Cup, were revealed in July; the outcry that followed led to the proposals being swiftly abandoned.
Several national associations have already pulled their endorsements ahead of the election, among them England, Wales, France and Serbia, along with other European countries. Uefa has pledged to put forward a rival candidate before the November deadline.
Infantino has been Fifa president since 2016 and has faced calls for his resignation amid widespread demands for reform at the governing body. The 56-year-old wrote this month in a letter to member associations that he was open to talks over reform, but the SFV said key questions concerning Fifa’s responsibilities and its decision-making process had been left unanswered.
“As these have not been convincingly clarified, we cannot justify continuing to support Gianni Infantino’s candidacy,” the SFV said.