UEFA has confirmed that a departure payment was made to a woman who was allegedly involved in a relationship with current FIFA President Gianni Infantino during his tenure as secretary general of European football’s governing body.
The disclosure follows an investigation by The Daily Telegraph, which reported that the woman received a six-figure payment when she left UEFA.
The report alleged that the payment was connected to an affair with Infantino, who was married at the time.
Infantino, through a spokesperson, has strongly denied the allegations, describing them as “categorically untrue” and rejecting any suggestion of inappropriate conduct or violations of UEFA or FIFA regulations.
“FIFA president Gianni Infantino strongly denies these allegations, and they are categorically untrue,” the spokesperson reportedly told The Daily Telegraph.
The spokesperson also said no employee of UEFA or FIFA had ever lodged a complaint concerning Infantino’s conduct, arguing that there had been no incident involving him that would warrant such a complaint.
UEFA, however, confirmed that a payment was made to the woman, explaining that it covered fees for her to complete an MBA programme at a local business school.
The governing body said the payment was made in accordance with regulations that were in force at the time.
It added that its rules have since been strengthened and now reflect standards expected of a modern, high-profile organisation.
The allegations come at a difficult time for Infantino, who is already facing criticism over controversial proposals involving private investment in FIFA’s World Cup operations.
Infantino has apologised for what he described as errors in the proposals but has remained in office after receiving the backing of senior football executives at a meeting in Morocco.
He joined UEFA in 2000 and became the organisation’s secretary general in 2009, a position he held until he was elected FIFA president in 2016.
His leadership has also come under pressure from some European football associations, with several teams threatening to boycott FIFA events over concerns about the proposed investment plans and other unresolved issues.
Despite the criticism, Infantino continues to enjoy support from several major football confederations and national associations, including the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Mexico and Argentina.
The latest allegations and UEFA’s confirmation of the payment are expected to add to scrutiny of Infantino’s leadership as he seeks to navigate growing opposition and controversy surrounding his presidency.
