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Panama moves to boost transparency amid documents leak

Panama's government is creating an international committee of experts to recommend ways to boost transparency in the Central American country's offshore financial industry.

President Juan Carlos Varela is trying to shore up confidence in his nation's financial sector after the leaking of 11.5 million documents from a prominent Panama-based law firm which helped create shell companies for the world's rich and famous.

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Panama leaks: Fifa president denies wrongdoing

Gianni Infantino denies any wrongdoing Credit: Reuters

New Fifa president Gianni Infantino has denied any wrongdoing over his role in a TV rights deal when he worked at Uefa.

The Swiss signed off a contract with two businessmen who have since been accused of bribery, the leaked Panama documents reveal.

Hugo and Mariano Jinkis bought TV rights for UEFA Champions League football in 2006 and immediately sold them on for almost three times the price.

The contract was signed off by Mr Infantino, who was a Uefa director at the time.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Infantino vehemently denied any wrongdoing, saying he is "dismayed" that his "integrity is being doubted".

I am dismayed and will not accept that my integrity is being doubted by certain areas of the media, especially given that UEFA has already disclosed in detail all facts regarding these contracts.

From the moment I was made aware of the latest media enquiries on the matter, I immediately contacted UEFA to seek clarity.

I did this because I am no longer with UEFA, and it is they who exclusively possess all contractual information relating to this query.

In the meantime, UEFA has announced that it has been conducting a review of its numerous commercial contracts and has answered extensively all media questions related to these specific contracts.

As I previously stated, I never personally dealt with Cross Trading nor their owners as the tender process was conducted by Team Marketing on behalf of UEFA.

I would like to state for the record that neither UEFA nor I have ever been contacted by any authorities in relation to these particular contracts.

Moreover, as media themselves report, there is no indication whatsoever for any wrongdoings from neither UEFA nor myself in this matter.

– Gianni Infantino, Fifa president

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