UEFA has acknowledged making a six-figure “departure payment” to a female employee who was allegedly in a relationship with Gianni Infantino during his time as the organisation’s general secretary.
The Daily Telegraph reported on Friday night that the woman received the sum after the alleged relationship with Infantino, who is now president of FIFA.
UEFA said it also paid the employee’s MBA fees, insisting that both arrangements complied with the regulations governing staff departures at the time.
Infantino spent 16 years at UEFA, becoming the organisation’s general secretary in 2009 before his election as FIFA president in February 2016.
“The payment was in line with the regulations that existed for departing staff at the time.
“Such regulations have been tightened since 2016 and the current staff regulations – which apply to all UEFA employees at whatever level – reflect those found in a modern, high-profile organisation.”
A FIFA spokesman told the Telegraph on Friday: “FIFA president Gianni Infantino strongly denies these allegations, and they are categorically untrue.
“No employee at UEFA and FIFA has ever raised a complaint regarding Infantino’s behaviour because there never was an incident where he was involved.
“All company actions related to employees, including any departure and severance packages, have always been approved by the appropriate directors in accordance with all applicable regulations.”
The disclosure comes as Infantino faces mounting pressure over a controversial proposal to sell stakes to private investors in a company intended to manage the World Cup.
UEFA and two other continental confederations rejected the proposal. Following a meeting in Morocco on Wednesday, FIFA’s management board backed Infantino, who also apologised for the way the plan had been handled.
However, UEFA’s threat to have its 55 member countries boycott FIFA competitions until the proposal was abandoned remains in place. The European confederation said on Thursday that Wednesday’s announcement “changes nothing”.
