Reinfeldt declines - jumps off the chairmanship election

Fredrik Reinfeldt is rejected for re-election to the chairmanship in the Swedish Football Association. The electoral committee instead proposes that SEF chairman Simon Åström becomes the new chairman. My impression is that there is a clear majority that supports my candidacy, says Åström to TT.

» Published: February 13 2025

Fredrik Reinfeldt announces that he will complete his term until the annual meeting on March 22, but that he will not stand for re-election.

"I respect the election committee's decision. I want to extend a warm thank you to all the staff and others engaged in Swedish football with whom I have had the privilege of working", he says in a statement from the Swedish Football Association (SvFF).

The election committee instead proposes that Simon Åström, chairman of Swedish Elite Football (Sef), becomes the new SvFF chairman.

"Majority support"

We have had very many dialogues with the different districts and elite clubs about where they stand on the issue and we have landed on proposing Simon. There is majority support for him, says Håkan Wifvesson, chairman of the election committee, to TT.

He does not go into any percentages or vote counts, but says that there is clear support.

Something Åström himself also shares.

My impression is that there is a clear majority that supports my candidacy. If I hadn't felt that support from the start, I wouldn't have stepped forward either, so it has been an important part for me.

He is pleased with the proposal and that the election committee has confidence in him.

But I focus on the annual meeting on March 22, when the movement will make its decision.

Reinfeldt heavily criticized

The former Prime Minister has been in the post for almost two years, but has received much criticism during this time.

In the autumn, a storm broke out in the association after the newspaper Offside reported that current and former employees were directing heavy criticism at the work environment and the association's leadership.

It ended with the general secretary Andrea Möllerberg – employed during Reinfeldt's first year as chairman – being fired in January.

"Spineless"

In December, Reinfeldt received criticism from, among others, the Swedish national team player Kosovare Asllani for Sweden giving the green light for Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 World Championship. The lawyer Kerstin Elserth resigned from her assignment as chairman of the appeals committee in protest.

She called the decision "spineless".