FIFA has released a statement in support of its president, Gianni Infantino, denouncing what it describes as a deliberate and sustained attempt to undermine his leadership of the organization. The statement was issued on Saturday, following a report by The Daily Telegraph questioning a compensation package paid by UEFA to a female staff member who worked with Infantino during his tenure as general secretary of the European soccer governing body.
UEFA confirmed the payment made to the employee upon her departure and stated that it complied with regulations at the time. Infantino had a 16-year tenure at UEFA before assuming the role of FIFA president.
In its statement, FIFA accused those critical of Infantino of aiming to weaken his position and remove him from office without proper procedures. The organization emphasized that unsubstantiated allegations and misinformation should not be presented as facts.
The statement highlighted that some individuals are attempting to challenge FIFA and its president without the backing of FIFA’s member associations, emphasizing the importance of respecting the organization’s established democratic processes.
Infantino faced criticism over his proposal to sell World Cup profits to private equity firms, a plan rejected by UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation. Despite the backlash, Infantino received support from FIFA’s management board during a meeting in Morocco and issued an apology for the process.
UEFA reiterated its stance that the exit payment made to the staff member was compliant with regulations at the time, noting that the rules have since been revised to align with modern organizational standards. The threat of UEFA member countries boycotting FIFA competitions until the plan was abandoned remains unchanged, according to UEFA’s latest statement.
