Swiss prosecutors have closed the criminal case against FIFA president Gianni Infantino after a meeting with Switzerland’s former Attorney General.
Proceedings had been opened in July 2020 when complaints were made over meetings between Infantino, AG Michael Lauber and the chief public prosecutor of the Upper Valais, Rinaldo Arnold.
Stefan Keller was removed from the case in May 2021 following a successful complaint from FIFA over four press releases from his office, which world football’s governing body said demonstrated “extreme bias”.
Two federal prosecutors, Hans Maurer and Ulrich Weder, took the case on, but FIFA said on Thursday that proceedings had now been closed with no charges brought.
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“FIFA takes note, with extreme satisfaction, of the decision of the two Extraordinary Federal Prosecutors, Hans Maurer and Ulrich Weder, to dismiss and definitively close the proceedings against Gianni Infantino about the so-called ‘Lauber case’,” a FIFA statement said.
Infantino himself added: “This is a full and clear victory for me, for the new FIFA and for justice!
“It is now clear that the accusations against me were mere attempts by poor, envious and corrupt people to attack my reputation. If these people have some dignity left, they should at least have the decency and apologise for their actions and the damage caused.
“The investigation fully confirms that I have always acted lawfully and correctly, always defending exclusively the interests of FIFA and football.”
An investigation into Infantino’s alleged misuse of a private jet in 2017 was closed earlier this year by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG).
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