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As pressure on FIFA president Gianni Infantino continues to rise, a new alleged scandal has emerged. The Telegraph reported Friday that UEFA reportedly paid off a woman who was having an affair with Infantino while he was secretary general of the association.
Per The Telegraph, the woman received a six-figure amount after the alleged relationship came to an end. The woman, who worked at UEFA as an administrator, was reportedly promoted to a managerial role by Infantino during their relationship.
Infantino was reportedly challenged about the relationship by then-UEFA president Michel Platini, and they agreed that she would leave the association and be paid, per The Telegraph.
When she left UEFA, Infantino reportedly used connections to get her a new “lucrative” job in a similar field. The association also allegedly paid for her to earn her MBA at a local business school after she left.
Infantino, who joined UEFA in 2000, became the organization’s secretary general in 2009. He left UEFA to become FIFA’s president in 2016.
In a statement to The Telegraph, a spokesperson for UEFA said the association was aware of the allegations and confirmed that “a departure payment was made to the individual in question.”
“The payment was in line with the regulations that existed for departing staff at the time,” the spokesperson said. “Such regulations have been tightened since 2016 and the current staff regulations – which apply to all UEFA employees at whatever level – reflect those found in a modern, high-profile organisation.”
A FIFA spokesperson told The Telegraph that Infantino “strongly denies” the allegations.
“Any insinuation of inappropriate conduct or violation of statutes or regulations is defamatory,” the football governing body said. “No employee at UEFA and FIFA has ever raised a complaint regarding Mr Infantino’s behaviour because there never was an incident where he was involved.”
Infantino has been married to Leena Al Ashqar since 2001. The couple has four children together.
The salacious report comes as Infantino is already under significant fire for his proposal to sell private investment stakes in the World Cup . Backlash to the idea was swift and overwhelming, and Infantino and FIFA eventually scrapped the plan entirely .
UEFA has responded the most strongly to Infantino’s proposal even after the withdrawal, and has maintained that it will boycott FIFA competitions . Other federations have said that they will withdraw their support for the president, with Infantino up for re-election in 2027.
After that, Infantino reportedly told Morocco that the country could host the 2030 World Cup final if it issues a statement of support for his re-election bid. FIFA has denied the report.
On top of that, Infantino has come under additional scrutiny with U.S. World Cup host cities reportedly chasing down $1 million payments that he promised to those who hosted World Cup games.
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