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| Gianni Infantino |
New FIFA president Gianni Infantino has
been dragged into the Panama Papers scandal dating back to when he helped
secure TV rights whilst at UEFA, the game's governing body for Europe. Infantino
has issued a statement in which he describes being dismayed that his
"integrity is being doubted."
The allegations relate to Infantino's
time as director of legal services at UEFA when he was involved
in negotiations with two businessmen, Hugo Jinkis and his son Mariano Jinkis,
who are under house arrest in Argentina and facing possible extradition to the
US on corruption charges.
The contracts in question, from
2003 to 2006, relate to the selling of TV rights to South American markets by UEFA to
a company called Cross Trading, which is a subsidiary of another company, Full
Play, owned by Hugo Jankis. Cross Trading sold the rights on to broadcaster Tele
Amazonas for a vast profit. Leaked papers from Mossack Fonseca appear
to show the contracts between UEFA and Cross Trading were reportedly
co-signed by Infantino. However he and UEFA deny any
wrong-doing.
"There is no suggestion
whatsoever of any UEFA official or marketing partner taking any form
of bribe or kickback, whether in relation to this tiny deal, or any other commercial
transaction. The TV contract in question was signed by Gianni Infantino since
he was one of several UEFA directors empowered to sign contracts at the
time. As you will have observed, the contract was also co-signed by another UEFA director.
It's standard practice."