Infantino denies Uefa paid off alleged lover amid governance crisis
Uefa confirms departure payment covered MBA fees, while Infantino faces calls to resign following aborted private stake sales.
Fifa President Gianni Infantino has categorically denied allegations that Uefa made a severance payment to a woman with whom he allegedly had an affair during his tenure as the organisation’s general secretary. The claims, reported by a Daily Telegraph investigation, allege that Uefa paid a six-figure sum to the woman, who is married to Infantino, during his time at European football’s governing body.
Infantino’s spokesman described the allegations as “categorically untrue” and defamatory, asserting that no employee at Uefa or Fifa had ever raised a complaint regarding his behaviour. The statement insisted there was no incident where Infantino was involved in any inappropriate conduct or violation of statutes.
Uefa confirmed that a departure payment was made to the individual in question while Infantino served as general secretary between 2009 and 2016. The governing body stated the payment covered fees for an MBA course at a local business school and was compliant with regulations at the time. Uefa noted that regulations have since been tightened to reflect those of a modern, high-profile organisation.
The allegations intensify the political pressure on Infantino, who is facing calls to resign following the collapse of plans to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. The 56-year-old has apologised for “errors” in the investment proposals but has not stepped down, retaining the support of senior executives during a meeting in Morocco.
While European teams have threatened to boycott Fifa events citing unmet conditions, Infantino retains backing from Conmebol, the Confederation of African Football (Caf), and the football associations of Mexico and Argentina. Infantino joined Uefa in 2000 and was appointed Fifa president in 2016.
