Michael D Higgins: Fans’ disgust at Fifa

President Michael D Higgins says he believes football fans are “disgusted” by the scandals which have embroiled Fifa.

Speaking before yesterday’s election of Gianni Infantino as new Fifa president, President Higgins — an avid football fan — said the sport, which is often referred to as “the people’s game”, needs to be looked after.

“I think it’s very important that it remains the people’s game,” he said in an exclusive interview in today’s Irish Examiner.

“And of course it’s not the people’s game when you have allegations and investigations into how decisions are made on venues and suggestions of impropriety and bribery and so forth.

What does Gianni Infantino's election as Fifa president mean for football? https://t.co/VBwI1PNXAB pic.twitter.com/2BQDFatyE3

— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) February 26, 2016

“I think the average person who loves the game is disgusted at the whole thing. I’m not supposed, I suppose, to have views... but I actually think it might not have been a bad idea to remove the whole thing out of Zurich and start again.

“People should be really concerned about the damage that it does to the reputation of the game when all that stuff is in the papers about Blatter and Platini.”

In the wide-ranging interview, President Higgins — who will attend the President’s Cup match between Cork City and Dundalk today — also talks about his early initiation in the sport, his love for League of Ireland football, and his hopes for Ireland at Euro 2016.