Fifa rebukes campaign to force out Infantino as boycott threat holds
What's new: Uefa confirmed a departure payment to a former employee, while Europe's threat to boycott Fifa events remains in place.
Fifa pushed back Saturday against mounting pressure on President Gianni Infantino, accusing critics of trying to weaken the governing body as fallout grew over allegations tied to his time at Uefa. The latest clash came after Uefa confirmed it made a departure payment and covered MBA fees for a former female employee alleged in reports to have been in a relationship with Infantino when he was Uefa general secretary. Fifa rejected the allegations as false and defamatory. The dispute adds to a wider crisis after the collapse of Infantino's Fifa Forward Enterprise plan. Uefa says it still lacks assurances the proposal cannot return, and its warning that member nations could boycott Fifa competitions remains on the table.