FIFA has released a statement in support of its president, Gianni Infantino, denouncing what it describes as a coordinated attempt to undermine his leadership within the organization. This statement comes in response to a recent report by The Daily Telegraph questioning a severance package paid by UEFA to a female employee who collaborated with Infantino during his tenure as the general secretary of European football’s governing body.
UEFA has acknowledged the existence of a “departure payment” made to the said employee, asserting that it was compliant with the regulations in effect at the time. Infantino, who served at UEFA for 16 years before assuming the role of FIFA president, has been the target of criticism aimed at weakening his position and potentially ousting him without proper procedures.
The FIFA statement issued on Saturday accuses Infantino’s detractors of orchestrating a sustained campaign to undermine both the organization and its president. It emphasizes that those lacking the backing of FIFA’s member associations should not resort to unfounded allegations, insinuations, or misinformation to achieve their objectives outside of FIFA’s established democratic protocols.
The statement also highlights the presence of unverified claims and outright falsehoods in some media reports, cautioning against presenting such information as factual. The ongoing controversy stems from Infantino’s proposal to sell World Cup profits to private equity, a move that faced resistance from UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC.
Despite facing backlash over the profit-sharing plan, Infantino received support from FIFA’s management board during a meeting in Morocco. He expressed regret over the handling of the proposal. Meanwhile, UEFA has upheld its threat of potentially boycotting FIFA competitions until the plan is abandoned, emphasizing that recent changes in rules align with contemporary organizational standards.