IOC Urged To Probe Infantino Over Alleged Trump Influence

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has received a complaint seeking an ethics investigation into FIFA President Gianni Infantino over allegations that his conduct breached Olympic neutrality rules.

Filed on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, by advocacy group FairSquare, the petition accuses Infantino of undermining the political independence expected of IOC members through his public association with U.S. President Donald Trump. The complaint became public on Wednesday, July 15.

The case partly centres on FIFA’s decision to overturn the effect of United States striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Balogun was sent off in the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1 after a challenge on Tarik Muharemovic, triggering an automatic ban. But on July 5, FIFA placed the suspension on a one-year probation under Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, allowing him to feature against Belgium on July 6. The United States lost the match 4-1.

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The decision came after Trump publicly argued that Balogun’s dismissal was unwarranted and later said he had requested a review of the sanction.

Infantino confirmed contact with Trump but denied interfering in FIFA’s disciplinary process, stressing that the organization’s judicial bodies operate independently.

FairSquare said the episode raised concerns about Infantino’s neutrality and cited other instances it believes show support for Trump, including Infantino’s attendance at an event linked to Trump’s January 2025 inauguration, his backing of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2025, and FIFA’s presentation of its inaugural Peace Prize to the U.S. president in December 2025.

The group argues that the actions represent possible breaches of IOC ethical standards and warrant investigation.

The complaint follows an earlier FIFA ethics petition, which received support from the Norwegian Football Federation and a separate appeal by 50 members of the European Parliament on June 29, 2026.