Infantino
Gianni Infantino says he will win Friday's FIFA election, and that he is the only candidate who can offer the genuine reform required to restore world football's credibility.
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As he embarked on the penultimate day of campaigning, the UEFA general secretary told Sky News he is confident he has the support of enough voters to beat his main rival and bookmakers' favourite, Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahimn Al Khalifa of Bahrain.
Asked if he can win, he said: "I will win. I am very confident because first of all I'm a positive person, but especially because I have spent four months travelling around the world, speaking with presidents and national associations. I know what they need."
Sheikh Salman has faced persistent questions over his human rights and campaigning record, with allegations of misuse of funds and cash-for-votes aired by Conservative MP Damian Collins under parliamentary privilege in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
Salman has denied the allegations and Infantino refused to criticise his rival, but did suggest he is the only candidate who can oversee a credible reform process.
"Reforms are important and they have to pass, but the next step is to implement them and, for this reason, it is important to have a FIFA president who knows what these reforms mean and how they can be implemented in real life. From day one, I will roll up my sleeves and work on them.
"All the federations know what is best for FIFA, they know the situation, that know the reputation of FIFA is at a very, very, very low point, and they know that a vote for me will bring back the reputation of FIFA to govern world football."
FIFA's executive committee has urged the national federations gathering in Zurich to back the package of proposed reforms, including term limits for the presidency, more women on the FIFA Council and new integrity checks, when they are put to congress on Friday.
"All the federations know what is best for FIFA, they know the situation, that know the reputation of FIFA is at a very, very, very low point, and they know that a vote for me will bring back the reputation of FIFA to govern world football."
FIFA's executive committee has urged the national federations gathering in Zurich to back the package of proposed reforms, including term limits for the presidency, more women on the FIFA Council and new integrity checks, when they are put to congress on Friday.
Executive committee member Moya Dodd told Sky News it would be disastrous if they were not passed.
"I really don't want to contemplate that - it is a very grim reality if we wake up on Saturday morning and have not passed the reform package.
"They are critically important to FIFA and we all want to wake up to a world on the 27th where not only do we have a new president but, frankly, we have a set of reforms that any president will have to work with."
The candidates will meet for a final protocol briefing on Wednesday evening, before the executive committee attends a dinner at the new FIFA Museum of Football in Zurich, which opens this weekend.
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Sky News
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