Infantino denies allegations of affair, favouritism while at UEFA

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has denied allegations that he paid off an alleged former lover during his tenure at UEFA, where he served as secretary general from 2009 to 2016. The claims, published by The Telegraph, suggest Infantino leveraged his position to advance an employee with whom he was reportedly involved intimately.

According to the British newspaper, which did not name its sources, the UEFA employee received a "six-figure sum" upon her departure, in addition to approximately $60,700 for business school tuition fees. The report surfaced following a week of intense scrutiny over a now-shelved private investment plan for FIFA.

Infantino has firmly rejected the allegations. When contacted by AFP on Saturday, a FIFA spokesperson had not yet responded. UEFA, however, confirmed that "a departure payment" was made to an employee, though details surrounding the circumstances and timing were not immediately clear.