The boss of world football, Gianni Infantino, implicated in the "Football Leaks" for his role at FIFA and UEFA, repeated Wednesday that there was "nothing illegal or contrary" to the code of ethics in what is reproached to him.
Putting forward a sort of conspiracy thesis in front of some journalists, including AFP, at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, the successor of Sepp Blatter as FIFA president knew "that it would not be easy to change things. in an environment vitiated by certain practices " .
"That's why we understand that there can be counter-reactions," argues Infantino who insists: "The fact that you have a son of Italian immigrants president of Fifa may not please everyone ..."
And the former right-hand man of Michel Platini at UEFA then review and refute the "inaccurate" revelations according to him of "Football Leaks" . According to the survey, conducted by a consortium of European media, UEFA, and its two bosses of the time Platini and Infantino, "knowingly helped the clubs (PSG and Manchester City) to make up their own irregularities, for + + political reasons .
How PSG would have broken financial fair play thanks to Platini and Infantino
"Financial fair play regulations provide for the possibility of negotiations and agreements (with clubs)," says Infantino. "And who is in charge of negotiating and discussing? The administration, " he replied. As a reminder, the financial fair play (FPF), a rule enacted by UEFA, prohibits a club engaged in European competition to spend more than it earns its own. Sanctions can range from simple blame to exclusion of competitions.
"If it is forbidden to have friends"
According to "Football Leaks" , some clubs, like Manchester City and Paris SG, have seen their sanctions eased after discussion with UEFA. Thus, Infantino, at the time N.2 of UEFA, would have "directly negotiated an agreement with Manchester City, bypassing [...] the theoretically independent internal investigation body" . Infantino reportedly sent an email to City leaders with "a nice gift" : "20 million fine firm instead of 60. The remaining 40 million will be due if the club does not return to financial balance to the 'future' .
PSG has, in the end, "had the same treatment, very accommodating," insists Mediapart in France. If there is nothing illegal, is there no violation of ethical rules? "Certainly not," says Infantino. "Not only is there nothing illegal, but there is nothing wrong" with the rules of ethics. And his relations with the prosecutor of Upper Valais (Switzerland), Rinaldo Arnold, a friend he invited to the 2018 World Cup in Russia?
"If it's forbidden in Switzerland to have friends," Italo-Switzerland says ironically. "I am very happy and proud to have Rinaldo (Arnold) as a friend. He is also president of the club of 6th division of Brig (city of origin of Mr. Infantino, Ed). He works hard for football. "
"Not at all obsessed" by his reelection
"I'm allowed to invite a friend to a match, I do not see it as a violation (of the code of ethics)," says Infantino. "There are more serious questions that can be, are and will be studied by justice and we will come to a fair conclusion," adds the President of Fifa denounces "an unjust attack . "
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The office of the prosecutor's office (prosecutor's office) of Valais announced Tuesday entrust to an extraordinary prosecutor the mission to establish precisely "the facts and to determine if they would be likely to fall under the criminal law" .
These revelations occur at 8 months of a congress of Fifa where Infantino seek a second term. While his record is contested, the latter multiplies the announcements to the 211 federations called to vote, promising them to increase financial aid. To do this, he wants to expand the World Club Cup and create a League of Nations, for which a group of investors would promise $ 25 billion.
But in front of projects far from unanimous and against the opposition of UEFA, Infantino was forced to delay at the last meeting of the Council in Kigali, accepting the creation of an ad hoc committee.
Is he worried about his reelection? "I'm confident," he says, assuring that he is "not at all obsessed" by this re-election. "I am very happy with what we have managed to do. I want to be re-elected if people feel that I have done a good job, not because I have agreements with one or the other, " he concludes.