FIFA President Gianni Infantino named a shocking candidate as his secretary general. In FIFA’s 66th Congress in Mexico City, Infantino named Senegal’s Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura as his second in command for soccer’s governing body. This is a shock because Samoura is a soccer and FIFA outsider (has worked for the UN since 1995), is the first non-European and first female secretary general in the history of FIFA.
While this is certainly a big deal, this is only one part of that. It’s certainly great because no woman has ever come close to being anywhere near Samoura’s position but that does nothing if this is simply for PR. Call me cynical but I have my doubts that this actually changes anything within FIFA. FIFA’s actions throughout history indicate that one should be cynical at any FIFA decision because of some ulterior motive. If Samoura’s appointment was just for PR and to get critics as well as authorities off FIFA’s back, that won’t solve any of FIFA’s problems. In fact, it’ll only compound FIFA’s problems and we’re no better off than we were in the Sepp Blatter era.
But let’s say this is a legit appointment and Samoura will be taken seriously. The fact that she is an “outsider” of the FIFA club, Samoura has a unique distinction of not being “guilty by association” because she hasn’t been involved with anything regarding FIFA. Unlike those within FIFA, including Infantino himself, Samoura is completely clean in a soccer corruption sense. It also doesn’t seem like she did anything bad working for the UN but she’ll still undergo FIFA integrity checks to make sure. Samoura’s appointment also is a serious approach to include women in high positions within FIFA. With the new FIFA Council, a minimum of one woman must be represented in the council from each of the six confederations. That means along with Samoura, six more women will be on the FIFA Council, up from just one in the former Executive Committee.
Samoura will also bring something desperately needed within FIFA, a different point of view. With the same people in the same positions in the FIFA club, the same ideas get recycled over and over. With Samoura, she brings an outsider point of view. Different ideas and views can only help FIFA and if she has the kind of platform the secretary general has, this can only benefit FIFA.
This move isn’t all positive. Samoura being an outsider may be a benefit in some areas but can be a weakness in other parts. By not being involved in FIFA, Samoura doesn’t have experience in working with the six confederations and FIFA as well. This may not be so bad but it is a concern. Samoura has done the kind of administrative and financial work within the UN but there are some other wrinkles that is unique to FIFA. A main thing Samoura would need to learn would be working with obtaining sponsorship as well as TV deals. That’s a big part of the job that results in billions of dollars to FIFA.
But while there are differences, it’s not like Samoura hasn’t had to deal with that kind of thing. While she hasn’t exactly brokered TV and sponsorship deals, she has done other deals worth hundreds of millions for the UN. And a lot of the other administrative and financial duties within a secretary general that’s similar to her work at the UN, just has a sports connection.
Like anything with FIFA, it’s important to have reservations on no matter what they decide. Given all the corruption FIFA has done, FIFA has to earn loyalty and it’s going to take more than a couple of appointments and a few months of no one being arrested for corruption. This is a good start but it all depends how much power she will be given. If she’s going to be treated as a secretary general to step into the job and give her ideas, this can be huge. If she’s only there for PR reasons and is nothing but window dressing for fans and the media, that won’t do anybody any good. It’s important to keep an eye on this situation to see how Samoura can influence FIFA in hopes of a positive revolution.
