Swiss prosecutors drop probe into FIFA Gianni President Infantino

By Emre Asikci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Swiss prosecutors ended criminal proceedings against FIFA chief Gianni Infantino in connection with undisclosed meetings with the country’s former attorney general, FIFA said Thursday.

"FIFA President Gianni Infantino has always acted absolutely correctly and lawfully in his relations with the Swiss public prosecutors who were investigating the ‘old FIFA!’” it said in a statement. “The new FIFA is today a clean, well run and robust organization which operates in accordance with the highest ethical and governance standards."

"The outcome of this investigation is obviously entirely unsurprising. The only surprising element is only the long time taken to reach such an obvious conclusion," added the world football's governing body.

Infantino hailed the decision to end the case.

"This is a full and clear victory for me, for the new FIFA, and for justice!” he said.

Infantino, 53, added that the accusations were attempts by poor, envious and corrupt people to attack his reputation.

"If these people have some dignity left, they should at least have the decency and apologize for their actions and the damage caused," he said. "Indeed and with no surprise, 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.”

Proceedings were opened in 2020 when complaints were made about meetings between Infantino, the chief public prosecutor of the Upper Valais Rinaldo Arnold and Attorney General Michael Lauber.