While Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa made his final plea to the 207 member associations set...

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Gianluca Nesci

Supervising Editor

<p>While Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa made his final plea to the 207 member associations set to elect a new FIFA president Friday in Zurich, Switzerland, protesters converged outside the Hallenstadion - where FIFA's extraordinary congress is taking place - to make a point of their opposition to the Bahraini candidate.</p><p><a href="http://www.bahrainrights.org/en/node/5721">Human rights organizations </a>claim that Sheikh Salman, considered the favourite to succeed Sepp Blatter as the kingpin of football's governing body, had a hand in the imprisonment and torture of pro-democracy protesters - including athletes - as a means of curbing antigovernment protests against Bahrain's al-Khalifa family in 2011.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Protesters here shouting "Al-Khalifa is a terrorist", "Salman killer", "Salman torture" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fifa?src=hash">#fifa</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAelection?src=hash">#FIFAelection</a> <a href="https://t.co/oZWuFDKPf0">pic.twitter.com/oZWuFDKPf0</a></p>— FIFA News (@fifagame_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/fifagame_news/status/703169075472502784">February 26, 2016</a>
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<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p><strong>Related: <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/859222" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/859222">Human rights group asks FIFA to bar Sheikh Salman from presidential election</a></strong></p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Swiss police watch anti-Salman protesters from Bahrain outside venue for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFA?src=hash">#FIFA</a> election. <a href="https://t.co/3JlWWQoFU9">pic.twitter.com/3JlWWQoFU9</a></p>— Frank Jordans (@wirereporter) <a href="https://twitter.com/wirereporter/status/703197278387843072">February 26, 2016</a>
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<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p><strong>Related - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/967696" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/967696">Africa, Asia reaffirm FIFA backing for Sheikh Salman​</a></strong></p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFA?src=hash">#FIFA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fifaelection?src=hash">#fifaelection</a> Meanwhile across the street the Bahrain anti-Salman protestors stand with photos of victims <a href="https://t.co/j2gbxLtt5u">pic.twitter.com/j2gbxLtt5u</a></p>— Declan Hill (@declan_hill) <a href="https://twitter.com/declan_hill/status/703206208732319744">February 26, 2016</a>
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There's a new chief in town.  Friday in Zurich, Switzerland, to the surprise of many, Gianni Infa...

<p>There's a new chief in town.</p><p>Friday in Zurich, Switzerland, to the surprise of many, Gianni Infantino - the amicable Swiss-Italian administrator best known for his oversight of UEFA draws and mastery of several languages - was elected as the new president of FIFA.</p><p><strong>Related - <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968349" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968349">Gianni Infantino elected as FIFA president</a></strong></p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>In succeeding disgraced and deposed president Sepp Blatter, Infantino defeated Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, the Bahraini candidate who went into the day as the consensus favourite to assume the role.</p><p>The election required a second ballot, as neither Infantino nor Sheikh Salman garnered the necessary two-thirds majority on the first ballot. That said, the opening ballot did, to the surprise of many, see the European receive <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968379" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968379">88 votes - three more than his favoured counterpart</a> - which set the wheels in motion for his eventual victory.</p><p>His 115 votes easily outdid Salman's 88 in the second round of balloting, which required only a simple majority (104 votes) for a new leader to be crowned.</p><p>Here's everything you need to know from FIFA's presidential election:</p><h3><strong>All about the new boss</strong></h3><p>Gianni Infantino is moving up in the world. Gone are his ball-handling duties and his need to make unfunny jokes in an effort to fill dead air while on stage at UEFA draws. In their stead, the 45-year-old will now be tasked with overseeing the daily happenings in the world of football, and repairing the reputation of a governing body that has been crippled by corruption. Quite the promotion.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/162524/cropped_GettyImages-512429478.jpg?ts=1456501840"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><ul>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968558" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968558">Will Gianni Infantino be the answer to football's prayers?</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968430" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968430">Infantino on FIFA scandal: 'You hide ... or you stand up and do the right thing'</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968496" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968496">Football world weighs in on FIFA's new president Gianni Infantino</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968525" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968525">Sepp Blatter hails Gianni Infantino as a worthy successor</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968572" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968572">VIDEO: The moment Infantino officially replaced Blatter as FIFA president</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968595" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968595">New president Infantino: 'You will be proud of what FIFA does for football'</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968611" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968611">Putin vows Russia will work with Infantino over 2018 worries</a></li>
</ul><h3><strong>What happened to Sheikh Salman?</strong></h3><p>Considered the heavy favourite heading into the election, Sheikh Salman's bid to become FIFA's ninth president took a massive blow in the opening round of voting and never recovered.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/162464/cropped_GettyImages-512429492.jpg?ts=1456492799"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><ul>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968356" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968356">FIFA avoids further disgrace with Sheikh Salman's defeat</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968354" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968354">PHOTOS: Police on hand as anti-Salman protesters arrive</a></li>
</ul><h3><strong>Prince Ali never had a chance</strong></h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/161900/cropped_REU_2374265.jpg?ts=1456238517"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><ul><li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968541" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968541">Prince Ali falls short of FIFA presidency despite admirable intentions</a></li></ul><h3><strong>The real star of the show</strong></h3><p>Tokyo Sexwale, the South African businessman and former prison mate of Nelson Mandela, delivered the most enrapturing speech of the candidates. He was funny and engaging ... and then he removed himself from the race for FIFA's top role in a brilliant mic drop to conclude his speech - and kick the day's proceedings into high gear.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/162459/cropped_GettyImages-512427004.jpg?ts=1456492538"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><ul><li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968321" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968321">Sexwale withdraws from presidential race before 1st round of voting</a></li></ul><h3><strong>What else happened at FIFA's extraordinary congress?</strong></h3><p>The election, though it was obviously the highlight of FIFA's extraordinary congress on Friday, was but one of 12 items on the agenda for football's governing body. </p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/162508/cropped_GettyImages-512445218.jpg?ts=1456498802"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><ul>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968329" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968329">FIFA votes to back reform package at extraordinary congress</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/968372" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/968372">VIDEO: FIFA handles paper votes in archaic fashion during presidential election</a></li>
</ul>

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PHOTOS: Police on hand as anti-Salman protesters arrive outside FIFA congress

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