The Swedish Football Association's initiative "Everyone is different - different is good" will help associations that work for equality and inclusion in football.

Food giant Ica is a partner and has since 2016 supported the project with millions.

SVT can now reveal that a person in a leading position at the union was forced to leave his assignment earlier this year after suspicions arose that around SEK 400,000 had been paid out on incorrect grounds for several years.

"Judgmentless behavior"

The Swedish Football Association initiated an internal investigation which showed that the money went to an association where the designated person himself held a key position.

- What has happened is of course not good at all.

There is no doubt that this is incorrect and indiscriminate behavior, says Andreas Jansson, communications manager at the Swedish Football Association.

According to him, all the aid granted has been repaid.

The Swedish Football Association has not reported the incident to the police, but describes it as "a conflict of interest situation" and "indiscriminate action" by an individual employee.

According to information to SVT, there is criticism of the union's actions, one person calls it a cover-up.

- It is possible that there may be some who say that.

We acted immediately and I think we have handled the incident in a correct way, says Andreas Jansson.

Ica unaware of the incident

The money for "Everyone is different - different is good" comes, among other things, from the sale of Ica goods marked with the Swedish Football Association's blue-yellow logo.

During the men's European Football Championship this year, SEK 5.5 million was raised for the project, according to a press release.

The Football Association says that they informed Ica about what happened.

But Ica does not recognize it.

"We have no information that money has been managed incorrectly, but if that is the case, then of course we want to be informed about it," writes Gabriella Ohlzon, press officer at the Ica group, in an email.

SVT has sought the person who was allowed to leave his job at the Swedish Football Association.

Do you know more?

Tip SVT Nyheter's reviewing reporters.