FIFA has come out in support of its president, Gianni Infantino, stating that there is a deliberate and continuous attempt to undermine his leadership within the organization.
The defense was issued in response to a report by The Daily Telegraph questioning a severance payment made by UEFA to a female employee who had worked with Infantino during his time as the general secretary of the European soccer governing body.
UEFA confirmed that the payment to the employee was made in accordance with the regulations in place at that time. Infantino had a long tenure of 16 years at UEFA before assuming the role of FIFA president.
In its statement, FIFA criticized those criticizing Infantino, accusing them of trying to weaken his position and remove him from office without proper procedures. The statement emphasized that attempts to discredit FIFA and its president through unfounded allegations and misinformation are unjustifiable.
FIFA highlighted that some media reports contain baseless claims and falsehoods that should not be presented as facts.
Infantino faced backlash over a proposal to privatize World Cup profits, which was opposed by UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC. Despite the opposition, FIFA’s management board expressed support for Infantino, who later apologized for the controversial plan.
UEFA had threatened to have its member countries boycott FIFA events until the privatization plan was abandoned. The organization maintained its stance, noting that the rules regarding exit payments have been updated to align with modern standards.