Fifa criticises campaign to oust president Infantino
FIFA has issued a strong rebuttal against allegations of misconduct involving president Gianni Infantino, labeling them as unsubstantiated and part of a concerted effort to undermine the organization. The controversy stems from reports of alleged financial impropriety and internal opposition from European football associations.
Why it matters
The internal governance crisis at FIFA impacts the global administration of the world's most popular sport.
Fifa has strongly criticised what it calls a "concerted and ongoing effort" to "undermine" the organisation and its president Gianni Infantino.
The statement follows a Daily Telegraph report which claimed Infantino's alleged lover was given a severance payment by Uefa after he had an affair while he was its general secretary.
A Fifa spokesperson told the Telegraph Infantino "strongly denies" the allegations and that they are "categorically untrue".
Fifa has now itself hit out at "unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims", adding that "speculation and insinuation should not be presented as fact".
Infantino has come under increasing pressure from Uefa and European football associations over his aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.
FFE would have meant a new company being created to manage commercial and ticketing rights, with 21% sold off to a private investment company.
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