Allegations and denial
Gianni Infantino has strongly denied allegations that Uefa made a severance payment to a woman he allegedly had a relationship with while he was its general secretary. The claims, reported by The Daily Telegraph, have emerged as Infantino faces criticism over his aborted plans to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. A spokesman for the FIFA president told the newspaper that Infantino "strongly denies these categorically untrue allegations" and that any insinuation of inappropriate conduct is defamatory.[S1][S2]
Uefa, where Infantino served as general secretary from 2009 to 2016, confirmed that a departure payment was made to the individual in question. The payment, reported to be a six-figure sum, also covered fees for the woman to complete an MBA course at a local business school. Uefa stated that the payment was in line with regulations at the time, which have since been tightened to reflect those of a modern, high-profile organisation.[S1][S2][S3]
Pressure on Infantino
The allegations add to the pressure on Infantino, who is facing calls to resign over his controversial proposal to bring private investment into FIFA's commercial operations. The 56-year-old has apologised for "errors" in handling the plan but did not step down after receiving backing from senior executives at a meeting in Morocco on Wednesday. European teams have threatened to boycott FIFA events despite the plans being aborted, while Conmebol, the Confederation of African Football, and the football associations of Mexico and Argentina have backed Infantino.[S1][S2][S3]
Infantino joined Uefa in 2000 and became its general secretary in 2009 before being appointed FIFA president in 2016. The Telegraph reported that the woman, who was allegedly in a relationship with Infantino, received a promotion and a salary increase during the alleged relationship. Infantino, who is married with four children, has denied all allegations, and a FIFA spokesman said no employee has ever raised a complaint about his behaviour.[S1][S4][S5]
