FIFA has released a statement in support of its president, Gianni Infantino, in response to what it deems a coordinated effort to undermine his leadership within the organization. The statement came out on Saturday, following a report by The Daily Telegraph questioning a payout made by UEFA to a female employee who had worked with Infantino during his tenure as the general secretary of European soccer’s governing body.

UEFA confirmed the existence of a “departure payment” to the staff member, stating that it adhered to the regulations in place at the time. Infantino had a 16-year tenure at UEFA before assuming the role of FIFA president.

In its Saturday statement, FIFA criticized those casting doubt on Infantino’s leadership, alleging an attempt to weaken his position and remove him from office without proper procedures. The statement highlighted that some reports contained unfounded claims and misinformation that should not be presented as facts.

FIFA emphasized that certain individuals were challenging the established order due to changes initiated by Infantino, but disagreement with these changes should not lead to undermining the democratic process or the authority of the FIFA president.

Infantino faced criticism over a proposal to privatize World Cup profits, which was rejected by UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC. Despite this, FIFA’s management board expressed support for Infantino after a meeting in Morocco, where he also apologized for the handling of the proposal. UEFA maintained its threat to boycott FIFA competitions until the plan was abandoned, emphasizing that recent regulations governing exit payments are more stringent and aligned with modern organizational standards.