(CNN) — FIFA chief Gianni Infantino is denying a report that inappropriate conduct was behind a six-figure “departure payment” made to a woman during his years as general secretary at the Union of European Football Associations.
UEFA confirmed the woman’s payout, noting that while it was not out of line at the time, internal regulations have since been “tightened.”
The British newspaper The Telegraph first reported allegations that the woman was paid because of an affair with the beleaguered head of world football.
Infantino “strongly denies these allegations, and they are categorically untrue,” a FIFA spokesperson told The Telegraph.
“Any insinuation of inappropriate conduct or violation of statutes or regulations is defamatory,” the statement added. CNN has reached out to FIFA for comment.
Ever since Infantino and FIFA’s controversial plans to sell partial commercial and operational rights to the World Cup were leaked two weeks ago, soccer’s world governing body has come under immense pressure, even after those plans were scrapped.
UEFA, which counts some of the world’s most powerful soccer nations among its members, has threatened to boycott FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, and publicly declared its loss of confidence in Infantino’s leadership.
This latest chapter in soccer’s civil war was sparked when The Telegraph published an article Friday alleging that “UEFA paid off an alleged mistress of Gianni Infantino while he was its general secretary.”
The paper, citing multiple anonymous sources, claimed that Infantino had a “relationship with a junior employee” during his tenure at the helm of UEFA from 2009 to 2016. She was promoted to a “more lucrative managerial role,” and received a “payment” when she left the organization, the paper reported. UEFA also paid for her MBA course, the report added. She was not named in the report.
In a statement to CNN, UEFA confirmed a “departure payment was made to the individual in question, coupled with the payment of fees for an MBA course at a local business school.”
“The payment was in line with the regulations that existed for departing staff at the time,” the organization added. “Such regulations have been tightened since 2016 and the current staff regulations – which apply to all UEFA employees at whatever level – reflect those found in a modern, high-profile organization.”
The report adds to the firestorm facing Infantino as he grapples to save his position and shore up support for his previously rock-solid re-election campaign.
Senior FIFA officials threw their support behind Infantino after a crisis meeting on Wednesday, but UEFA is still threatening to boycott future men’s and women’s World Cups. It doubled down on the threat even after the sell-off plans were jettisoned, saying it needs assurances that nothing like this will happen again.
If that threat came to pass, it would hugely devalue any World Cup since six of the current top 10 teams in both men’s and women’s soccer would not compete in the tournament.
FIFPRO, the players’ union, has also said its confidence in FIFA’s leadership “has now been fundamentally broken.”
However, CONMEBOL, which oversees South American soccer and opposed the plans, has said it won’t back an extraordinary congress to vote on Infantino’s future and will follow the existing timeline for the presidential election, which is set for early next year.
The Confederation of African Football, which is more dependent on the money FIFA distributes than other continental confederations, has backed Infantino.
CNN’s Ben Church and Thomas Schlachter contributed reporting.
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