Fifa President Infantino Should Have No Place in Football, Says Hacker
Rui Pinto, the computer hacker behind the Football Leaks revelations, reiterated allegations that Gianni Infantino intervened to help Manchester City and PSG avoid financial fair play sanctions.
The computer hacker who released documents that led to the Premier League's investigation into Manchester City has stated that FIFA president Gianni Infantino "should have no place in the future of the game." Manchester City has been found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules over a nine-year period, though the club denies any wrongdoing and has until October 2 to submit an appeal.
The Premier League investigation was initiated following information released into the public domain by the Football Leaks website in 2018, via German publication Der Spiegel, and a separate investigation by European football's governing body UEFA.
Rui Pinto, the creator of Football Leaks, reiterated allegations from 2018 that Infantino intervened to help Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain avoid financial fair play sanctions from UEFA. According to a report by Der Spiegel, the clubs overvalued sponsorship deals to meet FFP rules. When facing sanctions, the allegations state Infantino helped arrange more lenient punishments for them in 2014.
Pinto, 37, wrote that Infantino, then UEFA general secretary, "abused his authority, shared confidential documents and, in short, outmanoeuvred the investigatory chamber, doing everything in his power to ensure that both Manchester City and PSG would merely receive a fine, avoiding a deeper investigation that could have led to a Champions League ban." He added, "Given his actions as Uefa general secretary and, more recently, as Fifa president, I can only say, in my humble opinion, that Gianni Infantino has become a cancer on football and should have no place in the future of the game."
When these allegations first surfaced, UEFA stated that it was within the remit of the general secretary to assist in such matters, including discussions, meetings, and assistance to help find solutions. Infantino similarly noted that his job entailed having discussions and exchanging documents on many topics, defending his actions as professional and in the interest of football.
Infantino has faced increasing pressure recently. UEFA accused Infantino of "criminal mismanagement" over the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme. The Swiss Football Association (SFV) has also withdrawn its support for the FIFA president, citing fundamental questions regarding leadership, governance, transparency, and decision-making processes within FIFA.
Infantino is scheduled to stand for election for a fourth term in March 2027, with opponents having until November 18 to find an alternative candidate.