UEFA officials have verified their awareness regarding claims that money was paid to a woman described as an associate of Gianni Infantino. Reports from The Telegraph indicate these events occurred while Infantino served as UEFA general secretary.
Infantino, the 53-year-old current FIFA president who is married with four children, allegedly engaged in a relationship with the woman, who reportedly received a six-figure sum. Additionally, UEFA provided funding for her Master of Business Administration degree following her departure from the organization.
In an official statement, UEFA acknowledged the payments, noting they included both a severance package and tuition for a local business school. The governing body maintained that these actions complied with internal policies existing at the time. Since 2016, those guidelines have been significantly updated to align with contemporary corporate standards.
Infantino spent 16 years at UEFA between 2000 and 2016 before ascending to the FIFA presidency. He currently faces calls for his resignation following the collapse of a controversial plan to sell World Cup commercial stakes to outside investors.
