FIFA has released a statement in support of its president, Gianni Infantino, denouncing ongoing efforts to undermine his leadership within the organization. The statement was issued on Saturday following a report by The Daily Telegraph questioning a departure payment made by UEFA to a female employee who previously worked with Infantino during his tenure as the general secretary of European soccer’s governing body.
UEFA confirmed the payment to the employee, stating that it adhered to the regulations in place at the time. Infantino had a 16-year tenure at UEFA before assuming the role of FIFA president.
In the statement, FIFA accused critics of attempting to weaken Infantino’s authority and unlawfully remove him from office without due process. The organization emphasized the importance of respecting FIFA’s democratic processes and criticized the dissemination of unfounded claims and misinformation as factual reporting.
Infantino faced criticism for a proposal to privatize World Cup profits, which was rejected by UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC. Despite backlash, FIFA’s management board expressed support for Infantino during a recent meeting in Morocco, where he also apologized for the handling of the proposal.
UEFA highlighted that the exit payment to the employee complied with regulations at the time but acknowledged that rules have since been revised to align with modern organizational standards.
The ongoing dispute underscores the tension between established interests and evolving changes within FIFA, with UEFA maintaining its stance on potential boycotts of FIFA competitions until the contested plan is abandoned.