"Tens of millions to a mistress?" Gianni Infantino's private life scandal erupts... FIFA issues statement: "Organized defamation, we will not stand idly by"

*This content was translated by AI.

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has warned of a tough response to various allegations and calls for the resignation of its 56-year-old president, Gianni Infantino. The global football community is showing signs of division as policy conflicts over the sale of stakes in FIFA-organized tournaments overlap with controversies regarding special treatment for In Pan-ti-no (Chairman)'s private life.

On the 9th (Korean time), FIFA issued an official statement saying, "Some forces are acting in an organized and persistent manner to destabilize FIFA and In Pan-ti-no (Chairman)." It added that it will not allow attempts to bring down Seon Chul-doen (Chairman), who was democratically elected, through baseless insinuations and false information. The federation stated it will take strong legal action against any acts that distort facts or create malicious controversies.

The recent crisis was triggered by Infantino's policy of "FIFA Forward Enterprise," which aimed to sell part of the commercial and operational stakes in major tournaments such as the World Cup to private entities. After facing fierce opposition from continental confederations including the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), In Pan-ti-no (Chairman) withdrew the plan and issued an apology. However, UEFA has left open the possibility of boycotting future tournaments due to a loss of trust.

Adding fuel to the conflict was the revelation of past private life details. The British "Telegraph" reported that during his tenure as UEFA Secretary-General, Infantino allegedly provided special treatment to a female employee suspected of having an extramarital relationship, including a severance package exceeding 100,000 pounds (approximately 190 million won) and MBA tuition fees totaling 45,000 pounds annually (approximately 85 million won). FIFA has firmly denied these allegations and launched a rebuttal.

With next year's March FIFA presidential election approaching, the international football community has clearly split. European-centered anti-Infantino groups, including Lisette Clavene of NorwayLee Chuk-gu-hyeop (Chairman), are demanding Jin Yeong-eun (Chairman)'s immediate resignation. In contrast, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the Mexican Football Association have reaffirmed their unanimous support for In Pan-ti-no (Chairman) and strongly condemned any unilateral attempts to oust him. The full-scale confrontation between the two camps vying for global football power is expected to continue for some time ahead of the next election.

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*This content was translated by AI.