-
UEFA has confirmed that a departure payment and MBA fees were paid to a former employee linked to allegations involving FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
-
The Telegraph reported that the individual allegedly received a six-figure sum after leaving UEFA, including funding for an MBA course.
-
Infantino has strongly denied the allegations, while UEFA says the payments complied with the regulations in place at the time.
-
UEFA has since tightened its staff regulations, adding another layer to the controversy surrounding the payments.
August 09, (THEWILL) — A fresh controversy has emerged around FIFA president Gianni Infantino after allegations concerning a former UEFA employee and an alleged personal relationship with the football administrator.
The allegations, reported by The Telegraph, concern payments made by UEFA after Infantino departed from the organisation.
UEFA has acknowledged that money was paid to the individual but insists the payments were legitimate under the rules that existed at the time.
Here are four key things to know about the developing story.
1. UEFA Has Confirmed Payments Were Made
UEFA has acknowledged that a former employee received a departure payment after leaving the organisation.
The governing body also confirmed that it paid fees for the individual’s MBA course at a local business school.
However, UEFA stressed that the payments were made in accordance with the staff regulations that were in force at the time.
The confirmation is significant because it establishes that the payments themselves did take place, even though the circumstances surrounding them are now being questioned.
2. The Payments Are Linked to Allegations Involving Infantino
According to The Telegraph, the individual was allegedly in a relationship with Infantino during his time as UEFA general secretary.
The report claims the former employee received a six-figure sum from UEFA after leaving the organisation, with the governing body also covering the cost of an MBA.
The allegations have raised questions about whether the payments were connected in any way to Infantino’s alleged relationship with the woman.
However, it is important to note that the allegations do not establish that Infantino personally authorised or arranged the payments, and UEFA has said they were made under the regulations in place at the time.
READ ALSO:Â UEFA Refuses To End FIFA World Cup Boycott Despite Infantino’s U-Turn
3. Infantino Has Strongly Denied the Allegations
Infantino has rejected the claims through a statement issued by FIFA.
The FIFA president described the allegations as “categorically untrue” and denied any suggestion that he had engaged in inappropriate conduct or breached football regulations.
FIFA also said no employee at UEFA or FIFA had ever filed a complaint against Infantino concerning his behaviour.
The organisation further argued that employee departures and severance arrangements were approved by the appropriate directors in accordance with the applicable rules.
That denial is likely to become an important part of the continuing debate as more details surrounding the payments emerge.
4. UEFA Says Its Rules Have Since Been Tightened
UEFA has defended the payments by pointing to the regulations that existed when the individual left the organisation.
However, the governing body also confirmed that its rules concerning departing employees have since been strengthened.
UEFA said the regulations were tightened after 2016 and that its current staff rules apply equally to employees at all levels.
Infantino worked at UEFA from 2000 until 2016, when he left the organisation after being elected FIFA president.
The timing is therefore central to the story: UEFA says the payments complied with the rules that existed at the time, while acknowledging that its regulations have subsequently been made stricter.
READ ALSO:Â UEFA Threatens Boycott as FIFA Pursues World Cup Investor Deal
The Bigger Picture
The controversy does not currently centre simply on whether a payment was made UEFA has confirmed that it was.
The bigger questions concern the circumstances surrounding the payment, the reported relationship, and whether any rules were breached.
Infantino has categorically denied the allegations, while UEFA maintains that the financial arrangements were lawful under its regulations at the time.
With UEFA confirming that its rules have since been tightened, scrutiny is likely to continue over how employee departure packages were handled during Infantino’s years at the organisation.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
