Infantino vows to bring FIFA back to soccer at Mexico City Congress

Record ID: 103680

  • Title: Infantino vows to bring FIFA back to soccer at Mexico City Congress
  • Date: 13th May 2016
  • Summary: GENERAL VIEW OF STAGE AT INAUGURATION FLAGS OF FIFA MEMBERS CARRIED TO STAGE FIFA LOGO WITH MEXICAN FLAG ORCHESTRA PLAYING AT INAUGURATION GENERAL VIEW OF FLAGS OF FIFA MEMBERS ON STAGE
  • Embargoed: 28th May 2016 02:53
  • Keywords: FIFA Congress Mexico City soccer reform FIFA President Gianni Infantino
  • Location: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
  • City: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Soccer,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA0024HN37LR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: FIFA President Gianni Infantino inaugurated the soccer body's 66th Congress in Mexico City on Thursday (May 12), vowing to bring FIFA back to soccer after a series of scandals.
    The main focus of FIFA's annual Congress, which begins in Mexico on Friday, will be bringing its 209 member football associations up to speed with recent reforms designed to stamp out corruption.
    In his opening address, Infantino hailed the significance of soccer-mad Mexico hosting the important FIFA Congress.
    "Mexico is a country of soccer, a country of soccer players. Yesterday I saw in the Azteca stadium, a stadium which is not a stadium but an icon, a legend of world soccer. (It represents) the emotions that soccer can give. The Azteca stadium celebrated two World Cup finals with Pele and Maradona and their teams as winners. This is not history. This is legend, its myth," he said.
    Infantino was elected as FIFA president in February, charged with steering football out of the crisis in which dozens of football officials from a number of countries indicted in the United States.
    Seeking to overhaul FIFA's image, Infantino has recruited legends of the sport such as Luis Figo, Jose Mourinho and Carlos Puyol.
    "We (FIFA) have to set the scene, here is the scene, the legends have given so much and received so much from football (soccer) and some of them, many of them want to give something back to football (soccer). And that is why I thought it was a good idea to involve them, to involve the former players, the legends in our activities and what we do. And that is why I'd like you together with me to welcome all the legends," he added.
    The Mexico Congress will also decide on applications for membership from Kosovo and, possibly, Gibraltar, and will also be asked to approve a revised budget for the 2015-2018 cycle to reflect Infantino's electoral promises.
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