FIFA has strongly denied allegations that president Gianni Infantino was linked to a six-figure payment made by UEFA to a woman described as his alleged former mistress during his time at the European governing body.
The claims were reported on Friday by the British newspaper The Telegraph, which said the woman received a six-figure severance payment from UEFA after an affair with Infantino. UEFA confirmed that a payment had been made.
A FIFA spokesperson told The Telegraph that Infantino “firmly denies these accusations and they are categorically untrue.” The spokesperson added: “Any insinuation of improper conduct or breach of statutes or rules is defamatory.”
FIFA said no employee of either UEFA or FIFA had ever filed a complaint about Infantino’s behaviour because, it said, no incident involving him had ever taken place.
UEFA told British media that “payments were made to an individual, linked to training.” It said the settlement complied with the rules in force at the time for departing staff.
The organisation added that those rules had been tightened since 2016 and that its current staff regulations, which apply to all UEFA employees regardless of seniority, reflect the standards expected of a modern leading organisation.
The report comes at a time of growing pressure on Infantino over his plan to attract private investment for a company that would organise FIFA competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.
Infantino worked at UEFA for 16 years and became its secretary-general in 2009 before being elected FIFA president in February 2016.
