Fifa president Gianni Infantino to be interviewed by ethics committee By Richard Conway
BBC Radio 5 live sports news correspondent
Fifa president Gianni Infantino is to be interviewed by ethics investigators following allegations he breached the governing body's code of ethics. BBC Sport has learned Infantino will meet Robert Torres, a member of the investigatory chamber of the Fifa ethics committee. The interview in Zurich - possibly as early as Friday - is part of a preliminary probe. 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 told BBC Sport: "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.
"The president has made clear that he has acted appropriately and in accordance with Fifa's code of ethics."
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".
External legal counsel is said to have been hired by Fifa to provide an independent assessment of the claims against Infantino. It is believed to have concluded he has no case to answer.
The same sources have described the allegations as part of a "vendetta" against Infantino by unnamed people who have recently left Fifa. Documents, it is claimed, have been deliberately leaked in order to destabilise the man elected to the top job in world football in February.
Fifa has been hit by a spate of high profile departures in recent months.
Domenico Scala resigned as Fifa's head audit and compliance in May while the governing body's one time finance director and acting secretary general, Markus Kattner, was sacked that same month amid allegations of financial impropriety.
Kattner was fired after the discovery of a secret bonus scheme which paid him millions of dollars over a period of years.
A number of other employees have left, or are expected to leave, following a major restructuring within Fifa's Zurich headquarters.
A further 18 potential witnesses are understood to have been questioned as part of the preliminary probe into Infantino.
Torres is said to be leading the investigation given that the chairman of the ethics investigatory chamber, Cornel Borbely, and Infantino are both Swiss nationals.
The interview by investigators follows the leaking, to German media, of an internal Fifa memo.
Infantino was alleged by an unnamed Fifa insider to have used private jets during a trip to visit the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts Russia and Qatar, raising questions of a potential conflict of interest.
Fifa organised the flight to Moscow but an airline transfer to Doha was not available following a late change in the schedule by his Russian hosts.
Infantino and his staff then travelled by private jet, arranged by the Russians. The Gulf state in turn organised the return trip to Switzerland.
There have also been reports in Swiss and German media that Infantino, after attending the Champions League Final in Milan in May, flew on to Rome for an audience with the Pope. He then returned to Geneva.
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