Newly elected FIFA President Gianni Infantino was disappointed after his name was found on the list of people involved in the Panama paper scandal. He claimed that he was dismayed after his integrity was being doubted in the media.
According to Reuters, Infantino signed a contract several years ago with two Argentine businessmen named Hugo and Mariano Jinkis who were convicted in the United States. Several media reports claimed that Infantino signed the deal with the businessmen during the period when he was a legal director at UEFA. The FIFA president allegedly agreed to sign the contract for the broadcast rights of Champions League Club's competition in South America.
"I am dismayed and will not accept that my integrity is being doubted by certain areas of the media, especially given that UEFA has already disclosed in detail all facts regarding these contracts," Infantino said in a FIFA statement.
The Jinkis who owns offshore firm Cross Trading in Argentina reportedly sold the rights of the company nearly three times higher to a broadcaster in Equador, EWN reported. The Cross Trading owners are one of the several soccer officials who were charged in the U.S. over the controversial graft scandal.
"I would like to state for the record that neither UEFA nor I have ever been contacted by any authorities in relation to these particular contracts," Infantino added. "Moreover, as media themselves report, there is no indication whatsoever for any wrongdoings from neither UEFA nor myself in this matter."
Infantino was recently placed as FIFA's president in February after his predecessor Sepp Blatter was jailed for six years for his involvement in a contentious graft and corruption scandal in FIFA. Since he occupied the position, he vowed to clean up the organization.
The Panama Papers were leaked from a Panamanian law company, Mossack Fonseca, to several media outlets that exposed the hidden offshore tax regime of influential people, METRO reported. The Panama Paper scandal has caused immediate public outcry after the people knew how the rich and famous can do illegal offshore businesses and won't pay taxes.
Infantino was not the only one dismayed after his name was linked to the Panama Paper scandal. The UEFA has also expressed their disbelief that Infantino was dragged into the scandal. UEFA said that it's a slur to Infantino's character and on the status of the organization.
