FIFA President Gianni Infantino "should learn this week whether he is to be formally investigated for breaking ethics rules," according to Andrew Warshaw for the London DAILY MAIL. Infantino "denies any wrongdoing." It "is believed 18 interviews have already been undertaken by ethics personnel following weeks of rumours that Infantino was under preliminary investigation" (DAILY MAIL, 7/16). The BBC's Richard Conway wrote Infantino is believed to have met with Robert Torres, a member of the investigatory chamber of the FIFA ethics committee. If there is sufficient evidence "then a full investigation could be opened." Under such circumstances Infantino "could be suspended from his role for up to 90 days." The allegations "relate to a possible conflict of interest when using private jets laid on by a World Cup-bidding country; that he filled senior posts without checking people's eligibility for the role; and billing Fifa for mattresses, flowers, an exercise machine and personal laundry." A FIFA spokesperson said, "The FIFA president has stated publicly he fully respects the independence and work of the ethics committee and that he would provide, if required, whatever information necessary to facilitate any potential review by the committee." Infantino is said to be "very confident" that no further action will be taken with sources close to the former UEFA secretary general describing the allegations as "absurd" and "baseless" (BBC, 7/14). REUTERS' Alan Baldwin wrote FIFA's ethics committee said in June, after the German newspaper Die Welt reported that Infantino was facing a provisional ban for unethical conduct, that "there were no formal proceedings ongoing." However, "it would not confirm or deny whether preliminary investigations, which would precede a formal investigation, had taken place" (REUTERS, 7/14). INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL's Andrew Warshaw wrote four separate whistleblowers "have come forward with evidence to FIFA’s ethics committee" over the suspect conduct of Infantino. Highly-placed sources said that "four individuals had handed in information about the new FIFA president’s alleged wrongdoing." They "are understood to have been three senior officials sacked in recent weeks -- finance chief Markus Kattner, head of FIFA’s travel department Severin Podolak and chief of the general secretary’s office, Christoph Schmidt" -- as well as Jin Huegin, the former consolidation and compliance head who also no longer works at the organization (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 7/15).
