FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO DENIES CLAIMS OF UEFA PAYING OFF HIS ALLEGED LOVER: 'CATEGORICALLY UNTRUE'

An investigation alleged that UEFA made a severance payment to a woman who was reportedly involved in a relationship with Gianni Infantino

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing renewed scrutiny after an investigation alleged that UEFA made a severance payment to a woman who was reportedly involved in a relationship with him while he was the organisation's general secretary. The claims, reported by The Daily Telegraph, have emerged at a particularly difficult time for Infantino, who is already facing criticism over his recently abandoned proposal to bring private investment into FIFA's commercial operations.

Troubles continue to mount for FIFA President Gianni Infantino. (AP Photo/Santiago Saldarriaga)

However, Infantino has strongly rejected the allegations. A spokesperson for the FIFA president told The Telegraph that the claims were "categorically untrue" and denied any suggestion of inappropriate conduct or a breach of regulations.

"FIFA president Gianni Infantino strongly denies these allegations, and they are categorically untrue. Any insinuation of inappropriate conduct or violation of statutes or regulations is defamatory," a FIFA spokesman told the Telegraph.

“No employee at UEFA and FIFA has ever raised a complaint regarding Mr Infantino's behaviour because there never was an incident where he was involved,” the spokesperson added.

UEFA, however, confirmed that a payment had been made to the woman referred to in the report. The European governing body said the payment was connected to her departure from the organisation and included costs associated with completing an MBA programme at a local business school.

According to UEFA, the payment complied with the regulations that were in place at the time. The organisation added that its rules have since been strengthened and now reflect the standards expected of a modern, high-profile institution.

Infantino worked at UEFA from 2000 and rose to the position of general secretary in 2009. He held the role until 2016, when he was elected FIFA president following the departure of Sepp Blatter.

More allegations

The latest allegations come as Infantino attempts to navigate an increasingly turbulent period at the top of world football. His proposal to establish a major commercial entity involving private investment in FIFA's competitions triggered opposition from several football bodies and raised questions about the organisation's future direction.

The plan, which reportedly involved opening a substantial stake in FIFA's commercial arm to private investors, was eventually shelved amid significant criticism. Infantino subsequently acknowledged that mistakes had been made in the handling of the proposal, but he has remained in office.

Senior FIFA figures backed the president at a meeting in Morocco earlier this week, despite mounting calls for him to consider his position.

The controversy surrounding the investment proposal has also caused tension with European football authorities. Some European associations have threatened to boycott FIFA events, arguing that concerns surrounding the wider issue have not been fully addressed, even after the investment plan was withdrawn.

Infantino, meanwhile, continues to retain support in other parts of the football world. South America's CONMEBOL and the Confederation of African Football have backed him, while the football associations of Mexico, one of the 2026 World Cup's co-hosts, and Argentina have also expressed support.

- Vishesh Roy

HUGE BRITISH FEMALE CELEBRITY'S 'AFFAIR WITH TIP SPORTS STAR EXPOSED AFTER THOUSANDS OF INTIMATE PICTURES AND MESSAGES ARE LEAKED'

 

A huge female celebrity's alleged affair with a top sports star has seemingly been exposed after 'thousands of intimate messages and pictures leaked online'.

The woman has been described as a 'high-profile personality and entrepreneur' who is believed to be British.

A cyberstalker has allegedly used 'spyware' to infiltrate her email and social media accounts where nearly 90,000 screenshots from her mobile phone were stolen.

The pictures and messages have reportedly leaked online after the cyberstalker stored them incorrectly - which meant anyone could access it.

American cybersecurity expert and researcher Jeremiah Fowler allegedly came across the leak, which had been online for at least two weeks.

The stolen data also included invoices and receipts, as well as selfies and private chats from Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok.

Jeremiah has protected the woman's identity after the information claimed she had been having an affair with a 'well-known sportsman'.

He told The Sun on Sunday: 'They were both married. The type of data that was there would have been very damaging. It was clear there was an affair going on with a prominent public person.

A huge female celebrity's alleged affair with a top sports star has seemingly been exposed after 'thousands of intimate messages and pictures leaked online'

'This information of the affair never appeared in the media but, because the files were exposed for such a long period of time, it is highly possible that someone else accessed them and may release them at a later date or attempt to use them for some sort of extortion.'

He added: 'I reported it to the police by email. The victim was notified but I don’t know if she also went to the police.'

The Daily Mail has contacted Jeremiah for a comment. 

Those caught using stalkerware illegally can be prosecuted in the UK under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. 

In a blog post on the ExpressVPN website, Jeremiah penned: 'Although the case involves public figures such as celebrities and social media influencers, the underlying issue is not limited to high-profile targets.

'The same tools used in these incidents are commonly deployed in broader cybercrime, harassment, and stalking situations affecting everyday users.

'My goal in publishing these findings is to raise awareness about the risks posed by stalkerware.

'By showing real examples of what this type of software can capture, readers can better understand the seriousness of the privacy violations, ways to identify and protect themselves against it, and the potential harm that it can cause.'

- Lily Jobson

MIKE VRABEL ADDRESSED ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM WITH PLAYERS AFTER DIANNA ROSSSINI SCANDAL

Mike Vrabel reportedly did a 'great job' addressing the scandal involving himself and Dianna Russini, according to New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry

Mike Vrabel addressed the New England Patriots locker room following the scandal involving himself and Dianna Russini(Image: Getty Images)

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry believes Mike Vrabel did "a great job" addressing their locker room following the drama surrounding himself and Dianna Russini. 

Vrabel and Russini, who are both married, have been the talk of the NFL offseason after the pair were spotted together at an adults-only resort in Sedona, Arizona, earlier this month. Since those photos leaked, more have emerged of them together, the earliest dating back to 2020 in a New York bar, where they were pictured kissing.

The fallout of the initial photos saw Russini resign from her job with the Athletic, something for which Vrabel reportedly feels remorseful. Meanwhile, Vrabel said last week he was entering counseling after bizarrely giving two press conferences on the same day ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.

The first of the two press conferences Vrabel held ahead of the NFL Draft was intended to prevent Patriots players from being asked about the drama surrounding him and Russini before he could address it publicly.

During the press conference, Vrabel admitted he did not meet the standard he holds himself to. "My previous actions don’t meet the standard that I hold myself to. They don’t,” said Vrabel.

"And what I believe is best for the two most important things in my life, my family and this football team, is for us to take the necessary steps to work together, and to give them what I told them I’d give them, which is the best version of me. That’s what we’re going to do."

While he was away from the team on Day 3 of the NFL Draft, he returned to work Monday for OTAs.

According to Patriots star Henry, Vrabel did "a great job" of addressing the elephant in the room when he spoke to his players amid the offseason drama.

"I thought he did a great job," said Henry of Vrabel, talking to his team. "It's been the same Vrabes, bringing a lot of energy into the room, so yeah, obviously he addressed it, and that's kind of all I'll say about it.

The NFL offseason has been dominated by the scandal involving Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel(Image: YouTube (@TAScoopCity))

He added of the potential for offseason distractions in the wake of the Vrabel-Russini drama, "I think everybody is focused on ... the task we have at hand right now. Right now, that's working out, coming together as a team. Focussed on the meetings, trying to get better, learn from what we did last year and try to improve on some of the things we did not do well."

Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane, who was a team captain last season, meanwhile, refused to be drawn on the situation surrounding Vrabel.

"Coach coaches football and he keeps the main thing, the main thing," Spillane said. "I know he’s dealing with personal issues, but when we’re in the building, we speak football.

Spillane added, "I love coach and I'm going to be here to support him as he would be there to support me through anything. I'm just a player and I'm trying to do that the best I can."

- Oscar Maung-Haley

MEGAN THEE STALLION: KLAY AND I ARE OVER ... Trust Was Compromised!

Getty

Looks like Klay Thompson won't be getting a taste of Megan Thee Stallion's "Sweetest Pie" anymore ... 'cause she just confirmed to TMZ she dumped him.

The singer tells TMZ via her rep ... "I’ve made the decision to end my relationship with Klay. Trust, fidelity and respect are non-negotiable for me in a relationship, and when those values are compromised, there’s no real path forward. I’m taking this time to prioritize myself and move ahead with peace and clarity.”

The confirmation comes after the singer hopped on Instagram Saturday to share a cryptic note to her Story in which she seemingly accused the NBA star of cheating. She wrote ... "Cheating, had me around your whole family playing house... got 'cold feet.'"

She went on ... "Holding you down through all your HORRIBLE mood swings and treatment towards me during your basketball season now you don't know if you can be "monogamous”???? bitch I need a REAL break after this one .. bye yall."

TMZ has reached out to reps for Klay ... so far, no word back.

The pair confirmed their relationship last summer, when Klay first appeared in the background of Meg's poolside thirst trap.

They made their red carpet debut on July 16, 2025, at her inaugural Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala in New York City.

The pair seemed to be going strong ... but it looks like Klay might've gotten fouled out.

- TMZ

OLYMPIAN STURLA HOLM LAEGREID CONFESS TO AFFAIR ON NORWEGIAN TV

6IX9INE SAYS HE WAS INTIMATE WITH STEPH CURRY'S WIFE AYESHA 🤔

 

CARDINALS DROP HILARIOUS 'COLDPLAY' POST AMID JUMBOTRON CONTROVERSY

© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The post Cardinals drop hilarious ‘Coldplay’ post amid Jumbotron controversy appeared first on ClutchPoints.

A surreal moment captured at a Coldplay concert Wednesday has taken on a life of its own. Andy Byron went from an anonymous tech company CEO to a viral laughingstock after an alleged affair with his HR chief was exposed via jumbotron. Even the St. Louis Cardinals have joined in, adding their own Coldplay cheating scandal meme.

The Cardinals posted a photo of Albert Pujos hugging Adam Wainwright in the dugout during a game with the caption, “When Coldplay starts playing your song,” per the team’s official X account.

The image mimics Byron and Kristin Cabot, who were wrapped in an embrace during the band’s concert in Massachusetts when the camera happened to find them. Unlike Pujos and Wainwright, the pair immediately disengaged after realizing they were being shown on the venue’s jumbotron.

When Coldplay starts playing your song

Unable to literally make himself disappear, Byron ducked out of frame and did not return. Cabot covered her face with both hands and turned away from the camera. The strange and awkward moment became a fascinating train wreck when Coldplay frontman Chris Martin commented, “Uh-oh, what? Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy.”

With no baseball games scheduled due to the All-Star break, the Cardinals’ social team dug deep into the photo vault and joined the fray. But the Pujos/Wainwright spin on the scandal was a nice touch, offering St. Louis fans a bit of nostalgia with their schadenfreude.

Cardinals aim for second-half playoff push

Despite an inconsistent first half, the Cardinals are 51-46 at the break. The team is 6.5 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central and just 1.5 games back in the Wild Card race.

After a surprisingly strong start to the season, the Cardinals could become buyers at the trade deadline. St. Louis GM John Mozeliak revealed that the team is interested in adding a right-handed bat to the lineup. However, he would prefer not to lose any of his top relievers in a deal.

Brendan Donovan was the Cardinals’ sole representative at the All-Star Game. The Gold Glove infielder had a solid first half, slashing .297/.367/.430 with eight home runs, 36 RBI, 51 runs scored, a 124 OPS+ and 2.9 bWAR in 89 games. He played in his first Midsummer Classic as a reserve behind starter Ketel Marte.

- Mike Gianakos

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE HORNER AFFAIR: MINTZLAFF ALREADY WANTED TO TERMINATE HIM!

A magazine publishes an explosive story that meticulously documents the affair surrounding Christian Horner - who was almost fired by Red Bull.

(Motorsport-Total.com) - The affair surrounding Christian Horner, the team boss of Red Bull Racing, is not coming to an end. After a highly explosive data leak became known , which was leaked to hundreds of people in the Formula 1 paddock on the sidelines of the season opener in Bahrain, a story that contains new explosive material is now appearing in the March issue of the industry magazine BusinessF1 .

On 17 pages, the Horner affair is detailed in detail and, among other things, the name of the employee who made the allegations against Horner is mentioned for the first time. It is told how the woman collapsed on the sidelines of a racing weekend and, crying, told colleagues for the first time about her boss's transgressive behavior.

Many of the details of the story weigh heavily on Horner. If they are true, it is hard to imagine that the 50-year-old will survive the affair as team boss of Red Bull Racing. However, it is important to note: As of today, many of the details are difficult to clearly verify, which is why our editorial team is refraining from publishing them.

What can be verified, however, is an exciting sub-strand of the story that casts Red Bull GmbH's handling of the Horner affair in a completely new light. As is well known, Formula 1 team bosses such as Toto Wolff and Zak Brown in Bahrain had publicly criticized the non-transparent handling of the matter .

It was on the morning of February 2nd, just one day after the announcement of Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari, that the next earthquake began to emerge in Formula 1. The decision-making level at Red Bull GmbH in Fuschl had already become aware of the allegations made by Horner's personal assistant weeks ago, discussed them intensively - and came to the conclusion that morning that Horner's behavior was impossible to reconcile with the company's code of conduct is.

VICTORIA BECKHAM ON HER HUSBAND DAVID BECKHAM

 

LARSA PIPPEN AND MARCUS JORDAN SAY RELATIONSHIP 'SHOCKED' FAMILY, SPARKED SELF-DOUBT AND INVOLVED A FAKE NAME

Larsa Pippen knew she'd get "smoke" about her romance with Marcus Jordan after her marriage — but things are now "comfortable" between the families.

Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan are telling all on their surprising romance. 

As The Real Housewives of Miami star and Michael Jordan’s son premiered the first episode of their podcast Separation Anxiety with Larsa and Marcus on Tuesday, they spilled more details on how their friendship turned into a love story. 

Larsa, 48 — who was previously married to NBA legend Scottie Pippen, the former Chicago Bulls teammate of Marcus's dad — explained how she hid her connection with Marcus, 32, for some time. After meeting at a party four years ago, Larsa saved Marcus’ phone number under a fake name: Marc Jacobs.

“I didn’t want anyone to know when you’d call me,” she admitted. 

Though the pair were looking at each other across the room from their first meeting, it took time for their friendship to become a romance. Marcus traveled to Miami for a two-day trip that ultimately turned into 12. That's when Larsa began to question if her connection with Marcus was worth the “smoke” she’d get given her history with Scottie. 

"I figured this was off limits. It was not something I wanted to go to war for,” Larsa said. “I feel like you have to pick and choose your battles, and I wasn’t sure…”

Marcus was honest about his family’s response to him dating Scottie’s ex-wife, too: “I don’t think there was ever any hurdles, I just think there was some shock value to the fact that we were dating. Caught maybe some people on my side of the family off guard a little bit.”

Larsa chimed in, “It caught me off guard! I get it. I understand.”

It didn’t take long before the couple earned their families' acceptance. “I think once people really got to understand and see us together, it made everything a little more comfortable. My parents want to see me happy. Your family wants to see you happy. That’s all you could ever ask for.”

Larsa confirmed her relationship with Marcus on Instagram in January. The couple posed in front of a Michael 23 jersey, and Larsa drew a line in the sand in terms of basketball loyalty. “Checks over stripes," she wrote — referencing Michael's longtime sponsor Nike and "stripes," a.k.a. Nike competitor Adidas.

- Kelly Wynne 

FRANCESCO TOTTI SUFFERED F3OM DEPRESSION AFTER WIFE HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH ANOTHER MAN