FIFA President Infantino faces potential IOC investigation over Trump ties

New York: FIFA President Gianni Infantino could face an investigation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after a human rights organisation announced plans to lodge a formal complaint, accusing him of breaching political neutrality rules through his overt support for US President Donald Trump.

The development follows a controversial decision by football's world governing body to rescind an automatic suspension for a United States player. FIFA had initially handed a one-match ban to US striker Folarin Balogun after he received a red card during his team's victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32. However, interventions by President Trump and a legal team representing US Soccer resulted in the dismissal of the card. FIFA invoked Article 27 of its disciplinary code to clear Balogun to play against Belgium in the round of 16.

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Now, the rights group FairSquare has intervened, stating it will submit a complaint to the IOC targeting the FIFA chief's "repeated breach of political neutrality rules."

Infantino has been an IOC member since 2020. FairSquare had previously submitted a complaint to FIFA’s own Ethics Committee in December 2025, detailing instances where Infantino "expressed his public support for the actions and policies" of Trump, according to Reuters.

"It also requests that the Ethics Committee investigate Mr Infantino's role in the decision to introduce a FIFA Peace Prize, the decision to award it to President Trump... and the conformity of these processes with FIFA's procedural rules," FairSquare said.

Reuters has approached FIFA for comment. FairSquare’s submission argues that Infantino has breached Article 15 of FIFA’s Code of Ethics, which mandates political neutrality and outlines the duty of officials to uphold it.

Under FIFA's regulations, individuals bound by the code must remain politically neutral during official duties. Violations can carry a minimum fine of 10,000 Swiss francs alongside a two-year suspension from all football-related activities.

The advocacy group is also calling on the Ethics Committee to determine whether the decision to establish an annual Peace Prize and bestow it upon Trump ahead of the tournament draw was approved by the FIFA Council or enacted by Infantino alone. The group asserted that if Infantino acted independently, it would represent an "egregious abuse of power."

"If Mr Infantino acted unilaterally and without any statutory authority, this should be considered an egregious abuse of power," FairSquare stated.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry stated on Tuesday that the committee's ethics commission had not yet received any formal complaints regarding the matter, but indicated that any filings would be examined.

"Obviously, if they do, they would look into it," Coventry said.

FairSquare noted that whilst the Secretariat of FIFA's Investigatory Chamber confirmed receipt of the initial complaint against Infantino back in December, the governing body has so far provided "no indication" that an official investigation into its president has commenced.

With inputs from ANI