FIFA has released a statement in support of its president, Gianni Infantino, denouncing what it describes as a coordinated effort to undermine his leadership within the organization. The statement came out on Saturday, a day after a report by The Daily Telegraph raised concerns regarding a farewell package given by UEFA to a female staff member who had worked with Infantino during his time as the general secretary of European soccer’s governing body.
UEFA confirmed the provision of a “departure payment” to the employee and stated that it complied with the regulations in place at that time. Infantino had a 16-year tenure at UEFA before assuming the role of FIFA president.
In its Saturday statement, FIFA criticized those opposing Infantino, accusing them of attempting to diminish his authority and oust him from his position without following the proper procedures. The statement highlighted that some reports contained baseless allegations and inaccurate information that should not be presented as facts.
FIFA emphasized that any challenges to established norms are natural but disagreed with the notion that such disagreements justify efforts to undermine the democratic legitimacy of the FIFA president or the organization he leads. Infantino had faced strong criticism after details of his proposal to involve private equity in World Cup profits were made public. Despite opposition from UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC, Infantino received support from FIFA’s management board after a meeting in Morocco.
UEFA had threatened to have its 55 member nations boycott FIFA competitions until the profit-sharing plan was abandoned, maintaining its stance even after the board’s decision. While confirming that the exit payment adhered to regulations at the time, UEFA noted that the rules had been revised since 2016 to align with contemporary standards of a prominent organization.