FIFA has come forward to support its president, Gianni Infantino, in the face of what it describes as a coordinated and sustained campaign to undermine his leadership of the organization. The defense was issued on Saturday, following a report by The Daily Telegraph questioning a financial package given by UEFA to a female employee who had worked with Infantino during his tenure as the general secretary of European soccer’s governing body. UEFA acknowledged making a “departure payment” to the employee, stating it was compliant with regulations at that time.
Infantino, who spent 16 years at UEFA before assuming the role of FIFA president, has been targeted by critics seeking to weaken his position and oust him without proper procedures, according to FIFA’s statement. The organization condemned efforts to discredit FIFA and its president, emphasizing that those lacking support from FIFA’s member associations should not resort to baseless allegations or misinformation to achieve their objectives.
FIFA criticized certain reports for containing unfounded claims and falsehoods presented as truths. The statement highlighted the importance of respecting FIFA’s democratic processes and not attempting to undermine the authority of the president or the institution he leads. Infantino faced backlash over his proposal to sell World Cup profits to private equity, which was rejected by UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation. Despite receiving backing from FIFA’s management board and issuing an apology, UEFA maintained its threat to have its member countries boycott FIFA events until the plan was abandoned.
While confirming the legitimacy of the exit payment made to the employee based on regulations at the time, UEFA noted that its rules had been updated since 2016 to align with modern organizational standards.
