FIFA Appoints Replacement For Samoura

FIFA Appoints Replacement For Samoura

Sampson Adedeji

World Soccer ruling has appointed Swedish official Mattias Grafström as the replacement for the outgoing Fatma Samoura, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Senegal's Samoura had been due to leave her role as Secretary General at the end of the year, having been appointed by current President and International Olympic Committee member Gianni Infantino in 2016 to succeed the disgraced German-Swiss dual national Markus Kattner.

FIFA held its congress on Wednesday where the decision was ratified.

"The FIFA Council also approved the appointment of FIFA deputy secretary general –football, Mattias Grafström, as FIFA secretary general ad interim with immediate effect," the statement said.

Grafström has a legal background and is viewed as an ally of Infantino, initially joining FIFA as deputy director of its legal division in 2016 following the election of the Swiss official to succeed his disgraced compatriot Sepp Blatter.

He had been widely tipped as Samoura's successor when her departure was announced in June.