Gianni Infantino Faces Scrutiny Over Allegations of Misconduct
Gianni Infantino faces fresh scrutiny after reports that a woman alleged to have been his lover received a severance payment from Uefa during his time as the organisation’s general secretary.
According to an investigation by the Daily Telegraph, Uefa paid a six-figure sum to the woman, who is said to have had a relationship with Infantino while he was working at European football’s governing body. Infantino, who is married, was Uefa general secretary from 2009 until his election as Fifa president in 2016.
His camp has hit back hard. A spokesman for Infantino was quoted as saying he “strongly denies these categorically untrue allegations”, rejecting any suggestion of wrongdoing. Fifa also told the Telegraph: “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.”
The line from his side is clear: no misconduct, no breach of rules, no grey area. “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,” the spokesman added.
Uefa has confirmed that a payment was made to the woman in question. In a statement, it said a “departure payment was made to the individual in question” and that the package included fees for her to complete an MBA course at a local business school. Uefa stressed that all payments complied with the regulations in force at the time, while noting those rules have since been tightened to “reflect those found in a modern, high-profile organisation”.
The timing is sensitive. These allegations surface as Infantino battles to secure his position at the top of world football amid anger over his abandoned attempt to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. That plan triggered fierce resistance inside the game and raised questions about governance and control of football’s biggest asset.
Now, as Infantino and Fifa decline to expand publicly beyond their firm denials, the pressure shifts to the corridors of power. How much turbulence can the presidency absorb before football’s leaders decide they have seen enough?
