New FIFA chief elected in Zurich

New ruler of world football Gianni Infantino was furnished with “tips” from Sepp Blatter, the disgraced former FIFA president has claimed. Salman received 88, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein received four and Jerome Champagne received none.

“I can not express my feelings in this moment”, Infantino said after hearing the result.

“Many people who love football and believe in football, and many people who deserve FIFA to be respected”.

And Infantino secured 115 votes to Sheikh Salman’s 88 to become the second successive Swiss president, after Sepp Blatter. Prince Ali managed only four, while Champagne failed to open the account. South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale was also in the fray, but he withdrew before the first round of voting.

The stunning outcome seemed to catch the 45-year-old Infantino off-guard.

Blatter, who won a fifth term in office last May before laying down his mandate on June 2, has since been banned from all football-related activities. He also has said he wants to expand the field of the World Cup to 40 nations. “I trust Gianni Infantino will provide the leadership to achieve this, as well as the rest of the reforms that are now urgently needed”.

Gianni Infantino of Switzerland, the general secretary of European governing body UEFA, is expected to be the Bahraini royal’s main rival.

And there were no surprises from a British perspective as FA Chairman Greg Dyke had publicly backed Infantino for victory.

“The agreed reform package means the demands on him are high because the implementations of the new structures will be a major challenge”.

The world players’ union has already come out critical of the appointment, saying that Infantino is “entrenched in a governance structure and culture that is open to corrupt practices”.

Delegates of the soccer body Federation Internationale de Football Association meet to elect a new president.

The ban has since been reduced to six years.

Infantino joined the presidential race after the Uefa boss Michel Platini had been barred from taking part.

Those include preventing presidents from serving more than three four-year terms, reducing their powers and guaranteeing more independent oversight for FIFA’s decision-making and spending of $5 billion-plus income from each World Cup.