FIFA president Gianni Infantino has strongly denied allegations that European football’s governing body, UEFA, paid off an alleged mistress while he served as its general secretary, according to reporting by Sky News and other outlets.

The claims originated from a Daily Telegraph investigation, reported on Friday night, which stated that a female employee alleged to have been in a relationship with Infantino received a severance payment. According to the Guardian, the woman received a six-figure sum following the alleged relationship.

UEFA has confirmed that a “departure payment” was made to the female employee. In a statement, the organisation said the payment, along with covering the fees for an MBA course, was “in line” with regulations at the time.

In response to the allegations, FIFA dismissed them outright. “These allegations … are categorically untrue,” the organisation said in a statement reported by the Guardian.

The BBC reported that, according to the Daily Telegraph investigation, the severance payment was given over the alleged affair while Infantino was UEFA’s general secretary. Infantino held that position from 2009 to 2016 before going on to lead FIFA.

Al Jazeera noted the distinction at the heart of the story: while UEFA has confirmed that a departure payment was made to a female employee during Infantino’s tenure, FIFA and Infantino deny the characterisation of the payment as a pay-off connected to a relationship.