European football's governing body have asked FIFA to explain its alleged distribution of an anonymous heavily critical 'dossier' on UEFA president Michel Platini.
UEFA boss Michel Platini Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The existence of the dossier on Platini, who is hoping to replace outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter in February's election, has been reported in the Swiss and German media.
Reports said the document, entitled "Platini - skeleton in the closet", was distributed out of FIFA's headquarters and paints an unflattering picture of the former France international and questions his suitability for the role of FIFA president.
They said the dossier was sent "directly from FIFA headquarters in Zurich to newspapers with a request for publication, but without reference to the author".
UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino has written to his FIFA counter-part Jerome Valcke to ask for an investigation of the dossier's creation and distribution.
"I can confirm that UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino sent a letter of complaint to FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke," said a UEFA spokesman.
"We have asked FIFA to investigate the origin of this article because we are concerned by the reports of an alleged smear campaign against the UEFA president.
"Copies of this letter were also sent to Cornel Borbely and Domenico Scala for ethics and transparency reasons."
Borbely, a Swiss attorney, is FIFA's independent chief ethics investigator and Scala is the independent chairman of FIFA's Audit and Compliance Committee and chairman of the ad-hoc election committee.
Neither were immediately available for comment while FIFA did not respond to a request for comment on the report.
FIFA will hold an election on February the 26th to choose a replacement for Blatter who said in June he was standing down from his role in the wake of the corruption scandals that have hit the global body.
Platini is the current front runner in the election but his relationship with Blatter has deteriorated badly.
In an interview with Dutch newspaper Volkskrant on Saturday, the 79-year-old Blatter said there was an "anti-FIFA virus in Nyon", the Swiss city which is home to UEFA.
Dollar bills rain down on FIFA president Sepp Blatter, at a media conference in Zurich. A man posing as a journalist had thrown the money at him. Photo: Photosport
Former FIFA vice-president Chung Mong-joon of South Korea, ex-Brazil player Zico, former Trinidad and Tobago midfielder David Nakhid and Liberian FA chairman Musa Bility have also said they are running in the election.
Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein, beaten by Blatter in May's election, is considering another run while South African Tokyo Sexwale has also said he is weighing up whether to stand.
FIFA's corruption troubles came to a head in May when US prosecutors indicted nine soccer officials, most of whom had FIFA positions, and five marketing and broadcasting company executives over a range of alleged offences, including fraud, money-laundering and racketeering.