By the time that Gianni Infantino was asking members of Fifa’s Congress to raise their hands to their heads so their applause could be seen, there were some who just wanted to cover their faces. They felt this was “embarrassing”. A number of sources maintain they had no choice but to acquiesce, precisely because of the nature of the request: they would be seen.
There was a similar dynamic at the Uefa Congress in February, when Aleksander Ceferin introduced amendments to statutes that could now mean he stays for another term as president. Some member associations wanted to vote against but felt it just wouldn’t be worth the political consequences, since they had to very visibly show their stance in front of everyone.
