An investigation published by The Telegraph has raised new allegations about Gianni Infantino’s time at UEFA, alleging that a former employee, with whom the current FIFA president is suspected of having an affair, received a payment of more than £150,000 to leave the organisation. According to the investigation, the payment was made in late 2011, at a time when Infantino was UEFA’s general secretary. The British newspaper claims that the amount paid also included expenses for the woman’s studies, specifically the fees for an MBA programme at a business school.
The Telegraph also reports that the woman, whose identity the newspaper has chosen not to publish, had moved from an administrative position to a management role during the period when the alleged affair took place. The promotion came with a pay rise of around £25,000, according to the report.
The issue became a topic of discussion within UEFA after Michel Platini, the organization’s then-president, confronted Infantino with the allegations about the affair. An agreement was then reached, according to the British newspaper, for the woman to leave UEFA, receiving a severance package. The Telegraph reports that UEFA has confirmed that a payment was made to a former employee, but the organization has not disclosed her identity or the people who authorized the payment.
UEFA has also stated that it has since strengthened its rules to bring them into line with the standards of a modern, high-profile organisation. Another element of the report is that UEFA is also alleged to have covered the former employee’s MBA fees. After completing her studies, she is said to have taken up a position with another major international sports organisation.
Gianni Infantino, who is married and has four children, has denied allegations of an affair with a former employee. FIFA has also come to its president’s defense. In its latest response, a FIFA spokesperson reiterated Infantino’s denial and stated that actions related to employees, including dismissals and compensation packages, were decided and approved by the relevant management in accordance with applicable rules.
“Under the leadership of Mr. Infantino, everything has always been done correctly,” said the FIFA spokesperson.
FIFA has also accused its critics of a persistent attempt to damage the organization’s president, calling some of the allegations unfounded and false. The new revelations have increased pressure on Infantino. According to The Telegraph, UEFA is considering launching an investigation into his conduct throughout his 16 years at European football’s governing body. The potential investigation would aim to determine how the payment was approved, who authorized it and whether the alleged relationship influenced decisions regarding the former employee’s career and treatment.
Hans-Joachim Eckert, the former chairman of the FIFA Ethics Committee’s adjudicatory chamber, has also intervened in the debate on the allegations. Eckert was one of the figures who oversaw the proceedings related to the major corruption scandal at FIFA in 2015. According to him, if it were proven that Infantino had made financial decisions bypassing the relevant FIFA structures, the matter could take on much more serious dimensions. Eckert stressed that the FIFA president cannot unilaterally make financial decisions without consulting the relevant bodies, including the FIFA Council, the Finance Committee and the Compliance Committee.
He warned that if Infantino were proven to have exceeded his powers and acted without the necessary approvals, the matter could even cross into the “field of potentially criminal activity.” The developments come at a time when Infantino is facing further criticism. The FIFA president has faced ethics complaints over the decision to award Donald Trump the first FIFA Peace Prize, an award created during Infantino’s presidency.
There has also been scrutiny over FIFA’s decision to suspend a World Cup ban for US striker Folarin Balogun after his red card at this summer’s tournament. Infantino’s close relationship with Trump is also under scrutiny, with The Telegraph previously reporting on plans involving private investment in the commercial rights to the World Cup.
Criticism has not only come from former FIFA officials. Javier Tebas, the president of La Liga, has declared that “the Infantino era is over” and has called for a real overhaul of FIFA. Tebas has criticized Infantino’s leadership style and his projects, arguing that they risk undermining national championships and the traditional structure of football.
At the same time, Infantino continues to have significant support in some of the football confederations, particularly in South America and Africa. The former employee’s payment case is now part of a wider wave of accusations and criticism against the FIFA president.
However, there is no official finding to date that the payment of over £150,000 was made because of a personal relationship or that Infantino broke the rules. He categorically denies the allegations, while UEFA has only confirmed the fact that a severance payment was made to a former employee. If UEFA decides to launch a full investigation, the matter could expand beyond the 2011 payment and bring back into focus Infantino’s entire long period at UEFA, before he became FIFA president in 2016./ Top Channel