FIFA crisis: Infantino implicated in alleged UEFA favoritism

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has faced strong criticism since withdrawing his plan to open up to private investment at the end of July, is accused of favoritism dating back to his time at UEFA, according to an article in the Telegraph.

According to the British daily newspaper, the Italian-Swiss national, who served as secretary general of the European confederation from 2009 to 2016, used his power to promote a UEFA employee with whom he had an intimate relationship. According to the article, published Friday evening, the executive categorically denied the allegations. When contacted by AFP on Saturday, a FIFA spokesperson did not respond.

According to the Telegraph, which does not cite its sources, this employee, after having been promoted at UEFA for a time, received a "six-figure severance package" approved by Mr. Infantino at the time of her departure - at an unspecified year - in addition to the payment of tuition fees at a business school amounting to around 50,000 euros.

Contacted by AFP, UEFA admitted that "a payment" had been made at that time, "along with the payment of fees for an MBA program at a local business school." However, UEFA emphasized that "this payment was in accordance with the rules then in force for staff leaving the organization."

However, she added that these "rules" had "been tightened since 2016". "And the staff regulations currently in force (...) reflect those found in a modern, leading organization," the European body added.

Quoted by the Telegraph, a FIFA spokesperson stated that Gianni Infantino "firmly refutes these allegations," calling them "categorically false." "Any insinuation of inappropriate conduct or violation of statutes or regulations is defamatory," and "no UEFA or FIFA employee has ever filed a complaint regarding Mr. Infantino's behavior, as there has never been any incident involving him," FIFA asserted.

Gianni Infantino, a candidate to succeed himself next March, has been mired in a crisis since the disclosure at the end of July of his controversial, and ultimately abandoned, plan to open FIFA to private investors.

It is notably contested by UEFA, which on Thursday maintained its threat to boycott the World Cups, deeming the mere withdrawal of the controversial project insufficient.

AFP