FIFA has come out in support of its president, Gianni Infantino, amid what it describes as a deliberate campaign to undermine his leadership of the organization. The defense was issued in response to a recent report by The Daily Telegraph questioning a severance package paid by UEFA to a female employee who had worked with Infantino during his tenure as general secretary of the European soccer governing body.
UEFA confirmed the payment made to the staffer upon her departure, stating that it adhered to the regulations in place at that time. Infantino had a long career at UEFA spanning 16 years before assuming the role of FIFA president.
In its statement, FIFA criticized those critical of Infantino, accusing them of attempting to weaken his authority and oust him from office without following due process. The organization emphasized that efforts to discredit FIFA and its president through baseless allegations and misinformation are unwarranted and undermine the democratic processes within FIFA.
FIFA denounced certain reports for containing unverified claims presented as facts and emphasized the importance of respecting the established democratic processes within the organization. Infantino faced backlash over his proposal to sell World Cup profits to private investors, a plan that was rejected by UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC. Despite the criticism, Infantino received support from FIFA’s management board during a recent meeting in Morocco. UEFA’s threat of a boycott of FIFA competitions until the plan was abandoned still stands, with UEFA highlighting the need for adherence to modern organizational standards.
UEFA clarified that the exit payment made to the female employee followed the regulations in place at the time but noted that stricter rules have been implemented since 2016 to align with contemporary organizational practices.