The International Olympic Committee has received a complaint against FIFA president Gianni Infantino alleging he breached rules on political neutrality by supporting former US President Donald Trump in relation to a disciplinary decision involving player Folarin Balogun [1, 2, 3, 4].
FairSquare, a non-profit advocacy group, filed the complaint asking the IOC to investigate Infantino’s possible involvement in overturning a one-game suspension of Balogun that was automatically triggered by a red card [1, 2, 3, 4].
Balogun received a direct red card on July 1 during a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina and was therefore automatically suspended for the following game [1, 2, 3]. On July 5, FIFA announced it was suspending Balogun’s automatic match ban for a probationary period of one year under Article 27 FDC, allowing him to play in the July 6 round of 16 match against Belgium, which the US lost 4-1 [1, 2, 3].
Infantino confirmed he received a call from Donald Trump who lobbied for Balogun’s suspension to be reconsidered but denied interfering with FIFA’s decision-making process [1, 2, 3, 4]. He stated, "Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected," referring to FIFA’s judicial committees [1].
Trump publicly said on July 6 that he asked for the review because he did not consider Balogun’s red card foul legitimate. He described it as "two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled," and criticized the referee’s decision [1, 2, 3].
FairSquare’s complaint questions Infantino’s credibility and integrity and highlights his obligation to remain politically neutral as an IOC member since 2020 [1, 2, 3]. The group alleges that Infantino’s support for Trump may have violated this neutrality.
The IOC has not yet announced how it will proceed with the complaint. The next step will be the IOC’s decision on whether to open a formal investigation into Infantino’s actions and possible breaches of the Olympic Charter.
