FIFA has officially confirmed the termination of legal proceedings against its President, Gianni Infantino, related to his interactions with the former attorney general of Switzerland.
Infantino has hailed the decision as a “comprehensive and unambiguous triumph,” not just for himself but also for FIFA and the broader pursuit of justice.
He is now calling for an apology to address the reputational harm he endured due to allegations from individuals he labeled as “jealous, impoverished, and corrupt.”
The legal saga commenced in July 2020 following complaints regarding a series of meetings involving Infantino, Michael Lauber, who served as the Swiss attorney general, and Rinaldo Arnold, the chief public prosecutor for Upper Valais.
Stefan Keller, initially appointed as the Swiss special federal prosecutor for this case, was actively involved until May 2021. However, his role came to an end following a successful objection lodged by FIFA, which accused him of exhibiting “extreme bias” through four official press releases from his office.
Following Keller’s departure, Hans Maurer and Ulrich Weder stepped in as his successors. Nonetheless, FIFA announced on Thursday that the legal proceedings have now been conclusively closed without any charges being filed against Infantino.
This development is crucial for FIFA and Infantino, as it signifies the resolution of a significant legal challenge. This news is expected to reverberate across the football world and the legal community, highlighting the closure of a high-profile case involving one of the most influential figures in international football.
In a statement, it said: “Fifa takes note, with extreme satisfaction, of the decision of the two Extraordinary Federal Prosecutors, Hans Maurer and Ulrich Weder, to dismiss and definitively close the proceedings against Gianni Infantino in relation to the so-called ‘Lauber case’.”
Infantino said: “This is a full and clear victory for me, for the new Fifa and for justice! It is now clear that the accusations against me were mere attempts by poor, envious, and corrupt people to attack my reputation. If these people have some dignity left, they should at least have the decency and apologize for their actions and the damage caused.
“The investigation fully and clearly confirms that I have always acted in a lawful and correct way, always defending exclusively the interests of Fifa and football.”
