FIFA has released a statement in support of its president, Gianni Infantino, denouncing what they describe as a coordinated effort to undermine his leadership within the organization. The statement was issued on Saturday following a report by The Daily Telegraph questioning a severance package paid by UEFA to a female employee who had previously worked with Infantino during his tenure as general secretary of the European soccer governing body.
UEFA confirmed the existence of a “departure payment” to the staff member, stating that it adhered to the regulations in place at the time. Infantino’s tenure at UEFA spanned 16 years before his election as FIFA president.
In its released statement, FIFA accused those critical of Infantino of attempting to weaken his position and remove him from office without proper procedure. The organization emphasized that some individuals are trying to destabilize FIFA and its president through unfounded allegations and misinformation rather than through established democratic processes.
The statement highlighted that certain reports contained unverified claims and inaccuracies that should not be presented as truths. It emphasized that challenging established norms is part of any change process, but disagreement with change does not justify undermining the democratic authority of FIFA’s president or the institution he leads.
Infantino faced significant backlash following the revelation of his proposal to privatize World Cup profits. Despite opposition from UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC, Infantino received support from FIFA’s management board after a meeting in Morocco and issued an apology for the handling of the proposal. UEFA’s threat to have its member countries boycott FIFA competitions until the plan was abandoned remains in place.
While confirming that the exit payment adhered to regulations in force at the time, UEFA noted that the rules have been strengthened since 2016 to align with contemporary standards of a prominent organization.
