FIFA has cleared President Gianni Infantino of wrongdoing, despite a criminal investigation being opened against the 50-year old last month.
The head of world football's governing body has come under scrutiny after Swiss Special Prosecutor Stefan Keller opened an investigation into criminal wrongdoing following a series of meetings between Infantino and then-Swiss Attorney General, Michael Lauber. Both Infantino and Lauber have denied wrongdoing.
Infantino was allowed to stay in his role throughout, and BBC Sport reported yesterday that a preliminary investigation by the FIFA's Ethics Committee found that "No aspect of [Infantino's] conduct analysed constitutes a violation.
"Some aspects do not even fall within the provisions of the FIFA code of ethics, or justify the adoption of any kind of measure, including that of a provisional suspension."
What are the allegations?
The criminal investigation centres around three meetings between Infantino and Lauber, who was leading a widespread investigation into football corruption. Lauber has since resigned after admitting to lying to his superiors about the meetings, held in 2017.
After opening an investigation into Infantino, Lauber and other individuals, Keller said that evidence of "reprehensible behaviour" had been found, including indications of abuse of public office and breach of official secrecy, amongst others. Such crimes can carry penalties of up to five years in prison in Switzerland, as well as financial penalties.
At the time, FIFA insisted "nothing remotely criminal has happened" and that "there is nothing at all to suggest any form of criminal wrongdoing.”
Investigation tarnishes FIFA's image regardless of outcome
Infantino - who succeeded the disgraced Sepp Blatter as President in 2016 - labelled the allegations of wrongdoing as "absurd" in June, and in August said in a letter to member associations that the meetings with Lauber were "in no way secret and most certainly not illegal.”
However, he has acknowledged that the investigation has "caused considerable damage to FIFA as an organisation and to myself as its president.”
FIFA has said that it will continue to co-operate with the Special Prosecutor, as the criminal investigation continues.