But asked about Salman’s suitability for the job following allegations he was complicit in a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Bahrain five years ago, Dyke told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme: “There are issues about human rights, yes.
“There is an issue about Bahrain, someone from Bahrain. No-one denies that there were violations of human rights involving sportsmen and footballers that went on four years ago. No-one denies that. The denial is whether or not he was involved.
“The question is, does it matter whether or not he was involved, or can you have someone from Bahrain in charge of world football, running world football, given what happened there four [sic] years ago?
“I personally have my doubts. I personally have real doubt.”
Dyke gave the clearest indication yet the FA would back Infantino by describing the race for the presidency as being between the general secretary of Uefa and Sheikh Salman, who is a Fifa vice-president and president of the Asian Football Confederation.
“It’s obviously going to come down to two,” Dyke said. “No-one’s going to win on the first ballot.”
Telegraph Sport has approached Sheikh Salman’s campaign team for comment about Dyke’s criticisms.
Sheikh Salman has strenuously denied playing any part in the crushing of the 2011 uprising, branding the allegations against him “nasty lies” and “politically motivated”
- Telegraph