Gianni Infantino is facing renewed scrutiny after UEFA confirmed it paid a six-figure sum to a woman who was allegedly in a relationship with the current FIFA president during his time as the European governing body’s general secretary.
The payment was made when the woman’s professional relationship with UEFA ended, according to an investigation by The Daily Telegraph. The matter dates from the period between 2009 and 2016, when Infantino held the role of UEFA general secretary.
A spokesperson for Infantino told The Daily Telegraph that the Swiss official “strongly denies these completely unfounded allegations”.
A FIFA spokesperson added: “FIFA President Gianni Infantino strongly denies these allegations, which are completely untrue. Any suggestion of improper conduct or a breach of rules or regulations is defamatory.”
The spokesperson continued: “No employee of UEFA or FIFA has ever made a complaint relating to Mr Infantino’s conduct because there was no incident in which he was involved.”
UEFA confirmed that a payment had been made, but said it was connected to the woman’s professional departure rather than any wrongdoing.
In a statement, the organisation said: “A financial payment was made to the person concerned upon termination of the professional relationship.”
UEFA said the money covered the cost of completing the woman’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) at a local business school.
The governing body added that all payments had been made in accordance with the regulations in force at the time. Those rules have since been tightened and are now “similar to those applied in modern and high-level institutions”, UEFA said.
The Daily Telegraph reported that the payment was worth six figures and was made while Infantino was working for European football’s governing body.
The allegations emerge at a sensitive time for Infantino, who is already under pressure over controversial plans linked to the sale of stakes in the World Cup to private-sector investors.
The 56-year-old apologised for “mistakes” in proposals concerning the private investment scheme, but did not resign after receiving the backing of senior executives at a meeting in Morocco on Wednesday.
BBC Sport has contacted FIFA and Infantino for comment on the allegations.
Infantino joined UEFA in 2000 and became the organisation’s general secretary in 2009. He remained in the post until 2016, when he was elected FIFA president.
The latest claims add to a series of challenges facing the Swiss administrator as criticism of the proposed World Cup investment plan intensifies.
European national teams have threatened to boycott FIFA events, despite the private investment plans being cancelled. They said their position was based on certain conditions not being met.
Infantino has received support from CONMEBOL and CAF. Football associations in Mexico, one of the co-hosts of the World Cup, and Argentina, the runners-up in the competition, have also declared their backing for the FIFA president.
The new allegations therefore place further pressure on Infantino’s leadership at a time when questions are already being asked about his future at FIFA. He has rejected the claims in the strongest terms and described them as completely untrue.
