FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing fresh scrutiny after a human rights group lodged a formal complaint with the International Olympic Committee, accusing him of breaching strict rules on political neutrality through his relationship with United States President Donald Trump.
FairSquare, a UK-based advocacy organisation that monitors governance and human rights in sport, has asked the IOC’s ethics bodies to investigate Infantino, who became an IOC member in 2020. The group argues that his conduct, particularly around the men’s World Cup, is incompatible with the Olympic Charter’s requirement that sport remain free from political interference and endorsement.
The complaint centres on several episodes, most notably the handling of a disciplinary case involving United States striker Folarin Balogun. Balogun had been handed a one-match suspension, but FIFA’s disciplinary committee unexpectedly lifted the ban, allowing him to play in a World Cup round-of-16 match against Belgium.
According to sources cited in the complaint, the decision followed a direct phone call from President Trump to Infantino. FIFA has maintained that its judicial bodies operate independently, yet has offered no public explanation for the reversal. The disciplinary committee’s chair, Mohammad Al Kamali, is reported to have taken the decision alone, an unusual step given past practice in high-profile cases.
FairSquare alleges five “clear breaches” of IOC rules on political neutrality, along with what it describes as prima facie evidence of two further serious violations. These include alleged acquiescence to political pressure from Trump to circumvent FIFA’s disciplinary framework during the World Cup, and Infantino’s promotion of a World Cup fan platform that FairSquare claims was part of a data-harvesting operation linked to entities associated with Trump.
In its statement, FairSquare says Infantino has “repeatedly breached” IOC rules by offering political support to Trump through public statements and actions. The group has asked the IOC to open a full investigation into his conduct as an IOC member.
The complaint to the IOC follows a similar submission to FIFA’s own ethics committee, which FairSquare says has acknowledged receipt but not provided further updates. The Norwegian football federation has formally urged FIFA to examine the allegations, while around 50 members of the European Parliament have also written to FIFA’s ethics body pressing for action.
Both FIFA and the IOC have been approached for comment on the latest complaint.
