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FIFA President Gianni Infantino has strongly denied allegations that UEFA paid a six-figure departure package to a former junior employee with whom he allegedly had an affair while serving as UEFA general secretary.
UEFA confirmed a departure payment and MBA tuition fees were provided but stated they complied with regulations at the time.
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An investigation by The Daily Telegraph reported that a female employee received a lucrative payout and career advancement following an alleged relationship with Infantino during his tenure at UEFA from 2009 to 2016.
However, representatives for FIFA dismissed the claims as categorically untrue and defamatory.
FIFA stated that no formal complaints regarding Infantino’s behaviour were ever filed by any staff member at UEFA or FIFA.
However, a FIFA spokesman has denied those claims on behalf of the president. They said, “FIFA president Gianni Infantino strongly denies these allegations, and they are categorically untrue. Any insinuation of inappropriate conduct or violation of statutes or regulations is defamatory.
“No employee at Uefa and Fifa has ever raised a complaint regarding Mr Infantino’s behaviour because there never was an incident where he was involved.”
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The scandal compounds scrutiny on Infantino, who recently faced backlash and threats of a European tournament boycott over a controversial plan to sell World Cup commercial stakes to private equity.
Although Infantino apologized for errors in that proposal and secured backing from select confederations, European associations continue to push back.
