Gianni Infantino’s alleged lover received a pay-out from Uefa of more than £150,000, The Telegraph understands. The Fifa president allegedly had a relationship with a colleague while he was general secretary at Uefa, and she was paid off when she left the governing body of European football abruptly at the end of 2011. The payment can now be revealed to be worth more than £150,000, which included tuition fees for an MBA at business school. It followed a pay rise of about £25,000 after the woman, who The Telegraph is choosing not to name, was promoted from an administrative role to a management position while the relationship was ongoing. After The Telegraph revealed the pay-out on Friday, it emerged that Uefa is considering launching an investigation into Mr Infantino’s conduct throughout the entirety of his 16 years at the organisation. Uefa has confirmed that a payment was made to a former employee and said it had since tightened its regulations to “reflect those found in a modern, high-profile organisation”. It has not revealed who approved the payment. The alleged use of Uefa funds took place while Mr Infantino was its secretary, sources said. He was challenged over the alleged affair by Michel Platini, then president of Uefa, and it was agreed that the woman would leave with a pay-off. UEFA President Michel Platini and UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino look on during the UEFA Youth League final match between FC Shakhtar Donetsk and Chelsea FC at Colovray on April 13, 2015 in Nyon, Switzerland Mr Infantino was Uefa general secretary when Michel Platini was president of European football’s governing body Credit: Harold Cunningham/Getty Images It is also understood that Uefa covered tuition fees for the woman in question to study for an MBA at a business school. After her studies she took up a role at another major international sports organisation. Mr Infantino, who is married with four children, has denied any relationship. On Sunday a Fifa spokesman repeated his denials of the allegations and added: “Under Mr Infantino, everything has always been done correctly.” On Saturday, the Fifa president rallied support from his power bases in South America, with the Conmebol federation, and in Africa. He attended the inauguration of Abelardo de la Espriella, Colombia’s new president, in Cali during the weekend, an engagement that was chronicled on Mr Infantino’s Instagram page. Gianni Infantino president of FIFA, waves as he arrives at the presidential inauguration day event at Arena USC on August 7, 2026 in Cali, Colombia. Abelardo de la Espriella takes office after a tight win in the presidential election. Fifa issued a statement in which it was alleged that there was “a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine Fifa and its president”. A Fifa spokesman said: “Those who do not have the support of Fifa’s member associations should not seek to achieve through allegation, insinuation or misinformation what they cannot achieve through Fifa’s established democratic processes." Without referring to The Telegraph reports, the statement referred to “unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims”. However, on Sunday the former Fifa ethics chief who helped bring down Sepp Blatter, its former president, suggested Infantino’s actions were potentially criminal. Hans-Joachim Eckert, the German judge who was chairman of the Fifa ethics committee’s adjudicatory chamber that oversaw the 2015 Fifa corruption scandal and ousted both Mr Blatter and Mr Platini, has said that Mr Infantino risks “entering the realm of potentially criminal activity” if he has not followed Fifa statutes. Mr Infantino is facing ongoing ethics complaints about his decision to award Donald Trump, the US president, the inaugural Fifa Peace Prize – created by Mr Infantino himself. He is also facing an investigation into Fifa’s decision to suspend a World Cup ban for Folarin Balogun, the US striker, when he was sent off at this summer’s tournament. Mr Eckert told the Swiss newspaper NZZ am Sonntag: “There are actually strict regulations governing what a Fifa president can do. He cannot rule without consulting the Fifa council, the finance committee, and the compliance committee. That’s not permissible, even if it involves even more money. “The Fifa statutes don’t provide for an absolute ruler. As part of the Fifa reforms, it was stipulated that the executive body is the Fifa General Secretariat – not the president. The president represents football, builds relationships and promotes it globally. But he doesn’t make decisions about money unilaterally.” Mr Eckert added: “Uefa is demanding through legal means that no evidence is destroyed. It should be noted that even if Fifa’s evidentiary documents were to disappear, other parties are still involved. The risk of this not being resolved is not high. It’s possible that money changed hands even during preliminary agreements. This would lead to the next question: Who provided the money? And where did it go? “Let’s take the famous Fifa Peace Prize for Trump, specifically the golden trophy: Who commissioned which artist? What were the conditions? What materials were used? What did it cost? And who paid for it, and with what money? The ethics committee must investigate whether everything was above board. Should it turn out that Infantino exceeded his authority, failed to consult any committee, and made the decision unilaterally, we are entering the realm of potentially criminal activity.” Infantino’s relationship with Trump is already facing intense scrutiny after Joshua Kushner, the brother of the US president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, was named as the driving force behind the private investment group that attempted to buy a stake in the World Cup commercial rights. Mr Eckert said: “Infantino, as is well known, was often in contact with Donald Trump. He learnt how to make deals from the American president. When investors get involved with Fifa, they want a return on their investment. There’s nothing else to say about that. And what would that mean? Even more games? The World Cup every two years? “Infantino has Trump as a role model. Trump also prefers to communicate via social media. In a world football federation, the president should occasionally sit down at the front and answer questions in all areas. If he doesn’t, it can become a problem. For Fifa, too. Because we no longer know what the Fifa president is thinking.” Mr Eckert’s criticism joins a growing revolt against Infantino across global football. On Sunday, Javier Tebas, the president of Spain’s top division, La Liga,, declared “the Infantino era is over” and called for “a genuine overhaul” at Fifa. “For me, Gianni Infantino’s time has long since passed,” Tebas told Le Monde. “I’m not saying this because of recent events; I have noticed this style of management for a long time, though everyone else seems to be discovering it only now. “Gianni Infantino is not someone who contributes to the growth of football. On the contrary, his projects are destroying the very essence of the sport: the national leagues. Football is not limited to the elite. For me, the Infantino era is over. “What is happening does not surprise me. What does surprise me is the reaction of many people who remained silent for years.” On Sunday a Fifa spokesman said: “Fifa refers to the previous response given to The Telegraph on 7 August 2026, noting that Mr Infantino strongly denies these allegations. “All company actions related to all employees, including any departure and severance packages, have always been decided and approved by the appropriate directors in accordance with all applicable regulations. “Under Mr Infantino, everything has always been done correctly.” Uefa was approached for comment.   submitted by   /u/Timely-Zombie9466 [link]   [comments]