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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Lucy Jackson

Scottish FA urged to 'stop dithering' and withdraw support for 'clown' Infantino

Fifa president Gianni Infantino (Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire)

THE Scottish Football Association (SFA) has been urged to "stop dithering" and withdraw support for Fifa president Gianni Infantino.

The SFA has so far remained silent on whether it will oppose the re-election of Infantino as Fifa president, despite Wales – and reportedly England – joining other bodies in doing so.

It comes after widespread outrage over Fifa's plans to sell stakes in a company which would run the commercial and operational aspects of its competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino (Image: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire)

On Saturday, Fifa president Infantino confirmed the body "will not proceed" with the plans, which received backlash from football associations around the world including Uefa, CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) and the AFC (Asian Football Confederation).

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has already withdrawn its support for Infantino's re-election, becoming the first footballing association to officially do so.

Reports also suggest the English FA is poised to do the same, yet the SFA has so far made no public comment.

Sources have confirmed to The National that the SFA's position on the future of Infantino remains aligned with Uefa's.

The SNP and the Greens have now called on the SFA to break its "continued silence" on Infantino and publicly withdraw its support for the Fifa president.

SNP MSP Jack Middleton, depute convener of Holyrood's health and sport committee, branded Infantino a "clown".

"His crooked tricks have caught up with him and football associations around the globe are telling him to go," he said.

Jack Middleton (Image: Jane Barlow)

Middleton continued: “The SFA should cut the dithering and publicly withdraw their support for this stain on the game.

“Scotland gave birth to our beautiful game – the SFA cannot let their silence endorse the wicked ways of a man who tried to sell that game down the river to line his own pockets.”

Meanwhile, Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay told The National that "it is time for the SFA to follow in the footsteps of their Welsh counterparts" and withdraw support for Infantino's leadership of Fifa.

She said: “Infantino has been nothing short of an embarrassment to world football.

"From his begging to Donald Trump to try and save his job and fawning over him, or his plans that would have sold off the World Cup and commercialised the sport even further, his actions have been controversial moves and shows he is clearly no longer the right fit for the job."

Gillian Mackay (Image: PA)

Mackay said Infantino's leadership at Fifa has "valued money, power and politics over the global community of supporters and all that football is supposed to represent".

"Meanwhile, the organisation has been mired in scandal to the extent that it has made Sepp Blatter’s era look like the golden age of integrity and good governance," she added.

Mackay continued: “Football without the fans means nothing at all. The game is being pulled ever further away from the communities that built it as the influence of big money continues to grow, and it cannot continue this way or everyone loses.

“Infantino must go, and the SFA must be ready to verbalise their support for his removal.”

The SFA has been approached for comment.

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