FIFA has reported attempts to undermine Infantino's position
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has reported “coordinated and ongoing” attempts to undermine the position of its president, Gianni Infantino. The organization emphasized that any challenge to his leadership must be conducted in accordance with FIFA’s statutes and established democratic procedures.
The statement was released the day after the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph published a report raising questions about a severance payment to a former UEFA employee. She worked at the organization during the period when Infantino was general secretary of the European soccer federation. According to France 24, Infantino categorically denied the allegations made against him.
UEFA confirmed that it had made a severance payment to this employee and noted that it complied with the rules in effect at the time. At the same time, the organization reported that since 2016, the rules regarding such payments have been tightened, and the current regulations meet the standards of a modern large organization. Infantino worked at UEFA for 16 years before being elected FIFA president.
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FIFA stated that some publications contained unfounded claims and obviously false statements that should not be presented as facts. The federation also accused Infantino’s critics of attempting to weaken his authority and remove him from office without due process.
The controversy surrounding Infantino’s leadership intensified after the failure of his plan to raise approximately $4.2 billion through the sale of a stake in the commercial rights to the World Cup and other tournaments. UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation opposed the initiative. The FIFA Executive Committee backed Infantino following a meeting in Morocco, and the president himself apologized for the way the proposal was handled. UEFA stated that its position regarding a possible boycott of FIFA tournaments by 55 associations until the plan is scrapped remains unchanged.
