Fifa President Gianni Infantino has strongly denied allegations that Uefa, where he previously served as general secretary, paid a severance to an alleged former lover. A spokesperson for Infantino told The Daily Telegraph that the claims are "categorically untrue" and "defamatory."
The investigation by The Telegraph reported that Uefa made a six-figure payment to a woman who allegedly had an affair with Infantino during his tenure with the European football governing body from 2009 to 2016. The payment was reportedly intended to cover her MBA course fees at a local business school.
Uefa confirmed in a statement that a departure payment was made to the individual in question. The organization stated that all payments were in line with the regulations in place at the time, though it acknowledged that these regulations have since been tightened to reflect modern standards for a high-profile organization.
A Fifa spokesman reiterated Infantino's denial, stating that "any insinuation of inappropriate conduct or violation of statutes or regulations is defamatory." The spokesman added that no employee at Uefa or Fifa had ever raised a complaint regarding Infantino's behavior, as there had never been an incident involving him.
These allegations surface as Infantino faces scrutiny over his leadership at Fifa, including previous plans to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.