PSG, Man City, Infantino, Platini Among Those Implicated in Damning Football Leaks Report
Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, FIFA president Gianni Infantino and former UEFA president Michel Platini have all been accused of fraud in the latest release of Football Leaks by Der Spiegel.
According to the report, both the aforementioned clubs participated in fraudulent dealings in order to avoid Financial Fair Play sanctions, with Infantino, Platini and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy also named, according to Mediapart (H/T Get French Football News and journalist Jonathan Johnson).
German source Der Spiegel have also published a report regarding Infantino, who is said to have done the direct opposite of his FIFA mandate following his appointment two years ago. Infantino was tasked with cleaning up football's governing body but is accused of doing the contrary.
Infantino is also accused of making secret deals with both PSG and City in 2014, while he was still UEFA's general secretary, helping the clubs work around FFP rules and avoid punishment by proposing compromises and even giving them access to confidential material.
The current FIFA president is said to have gotten help from Platini with some of his tactics, which included hugely inflated sponsorship deals.
Sarkozy, meanwhile, reportedly played a part in the sale of PSG and told Platini to hand Qatar the 2022 World Cup. There has long been talk of Qatar obtaining the rights to the tournament via bribes and, last year, courts were told that a FIFA official accepted bribes from the country.
PSG have since issued a denial over the damning reports.
"PSG have always acted in absolute compliance with the laws & regulations laid out by sports institutions," the French club stated.
City, meanwhile, have declared that they won't be paying any mind.
A statement from the club reads: “We will not be providing any comment on out of context materials purportedly hacked or stolen from CFG + Man City personnel + associated people. The attempt to damage the Club’s reputation is organised and clear.”
