FIFA President Gianni Infantino has strongly denied allegations that an affair with a former UEFA employee led to a six-figure departure payment during his tenure as UEFA general secretary.
UEFA confirmed that a financial settlement was made to the woman, along with payment of fees for an MBA course at a local business school. The organisation said the arrangement complied with the staff regulations in place at the time.
The Telegraph reported that the woman was allegedly involved in a relationship with Infantino while he served as UEFA general secretary between 2009 and 2016. The report further alleged that she was later promoted to a more lucrative managerial position before receiving the payment when she left the organisation.
However, a FIFA spokesperson said Infantino “strongly denies these allegations” and described them as categorically untrue.
“Any insinuation of inappropriate conduct or violation of statutes or regulations is defamatory,” the spokesperson said.
UEFA also stressed that its staff regulations have since been tightened. The organisation said the rules governing departing employees were revised after 2016 and that its current regulations apply equally to all UEFA employees.
The allegations come at a difficult time for Infantino, who is already facing pressure over his leadership of world football following the controversy surrounding a proposed FIFA commercial investment scheme.
UEFA has publicly expressed a loss of confidence in Infantino and threatened possible action, including a boycott of future FIFA competitions, while FIFA continues to face scrutiny over the proposed restructuring of its commercial operations.
The controversy could further complicate Infantino’s expected campaign for another term as FIFA president. While the Confederation of African Football (CAF) continues to support him, UEFA remains opposed to several aspects of his leadership.