The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been urged to investigate FIFA President Gianni Infantino following allegations that he violated rules on political neutrality through his public support for United States President Donald Trump.
The complaint was filed by advocacy group FairSquare, which claims Infantino’s actions conflict with the Olympic Charter and the IOC Code of Ethics, both of which require IOC members to remain politically neutral.
A major issue highlighted in the complaint concerns the suspension of a one-match ban imposed on United States striker Folarin Balogun ahead of the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Belgium on July 6.
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Balogun had been sent off with a straight red card during the USA’s July 1 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina after a challenge on Tarik Muharemovic.
Although FIFA regulations state that an automatic suspension following a red card cannot be appealed, the governing body later announced on July 5 that the suspension had been deferred.
FIFA’s statement read: “By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year.”
Earlier, President Trump had publicly appealed for Balogun to be cleared to play. Infantino later confirmed receiving a call from Trump but insisted he played no role in the final decision.
Trump defended his intervention, saying: “All I did was ask for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul.
I didn’t think it was a foul. I thought it was two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled.”
He added: “I think they made a really brilliant decision.
” I think the referee’s call was horrible and nobody talks about that.
“They talk about the red card like it’s fine, nobody talks about the referee’s decision to red card.”
Balogun featured in the match against Belgium, where the United States was eliminated after a 4-1 defeat.
Responding to the controversy, Infantino maintained that FIFA’s judicial bodies operate independently.
In a statement published by FIFA, he said: “Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.”
FairSquare argues that Infantino’s conduct raises serious questions about his adherence to IOC ethical standards.
The organisation stated that “there is compelling evidence that Infantino has committed five clear breaches of IOC rules on political neutrality through statements or other clear expressions of support for the US President.”
Beyond the Balogun case, the complaint also cites several other incidents, including Infantino’s promotion of a FIFA fan website linked to the 2026 World Cup, which FairSquare alleges was connected to a data-collection campaign involving organisations associated with President Trump.
The advocacy group also referenced Infantino’s social media post after attending an event connected to Trump’s presidential inauguration in January 2025, his public endorsement of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2025, additional supportive remarks later that year, and his presentation of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to Trump during the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center.
FairSquare previously submitted a complaint to FIFA’s Ethics Committee in December.
That complaint was backed by the Norwegian Football Federation, while a separate letter of support was signed by 50 Members of the European Parliament on June 29.
At the time of reporting, neither the IOC nor FIFA had issued an official response to the allegations despite requests for comment from several media organisations.
