Simferopol (Russia), April 10 (IANS): FIFA president Gianni Infantino expressed his gratitude to the Crimean Football Union (CFU) for the support and greetings on his victory in the February elections for the post of the president in the world’s governing body of football, the CFU has said.

The CFU on Saturday received a letter from FIFA chief Infantino, who thanked the football authorities on Russia’s southern peninsula for their support and encouragement, reports Efe.

"Words cannot express my deep gratitude for your message of congratulations, support and encouragement," the CFU cited a letter from Infantino as saying.

"Together we will restore in our organisation the reputation and image, confidence and pride by bringing football back to FIFA and FIFA back to football."

Infantino was one of the five candidates running for the FIFA presidency less than two months ago and on February 26 at the Extraordinary Congress in Zurich he was voted in the second ballot by the organisation’s member associations to take charge of the world’s governing body of football.

Born in Switzerland, the 45-year-old Infantino served as the Europena football governing body (UEFA) secretary general since 2009. Infantino took the helm of the global football organisation in the times, when it was hit by numerous corruption scandals involving a number of senior FIFA officials.

Prior to Infantino’s victory in the election, CFU president Yury Vetokha stated that the football development in Crimea would only benefit in case the Swiss official took the reign in FIFA. He said Infantino was by far more informed of the problems with the football development in Crimea than any other candidate running for the FIFA presidency at that time.

The CFU enjoys a special status within UEFA. The union held over the last summer and autumn the first part of its premier league. A total of eight teams from eight Crimean cities participated in the championship having played 56 matches in 14 rounds.