FIFA’s Infantino faces IOC ethics complaint over Trump ties at World Cup

Human rights group FairSquare filed a formal complaint on Monday with the International Olympic Committee alleging that FIFA President Gianni Infantino repeatedly breached political neutrality rules through his dealings with U.S. President Donald Trump — a case rooted in the controversy over striker Folarin Balogun's suspended red-card ban at the 2026 World Cup.fairsq+1

The complaint, submitted to the IOC Ethics Commission, targets Infantino in his capacity as an IOC member and alleges four breaches of neutrality rules. ESPN reported Tuesday that the IOC said it would review any formal complaint submitted.espn+2

The Reversal That Sparked a Crisis

The saga began when Balogun received a red card during the U.S. team's round-of-32 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina on July 2, which carried an automatic one-match ban ahead of the round-of-16 clash against Belgium. Trump then called Infantino to discuss the suspension, after which FIFA invoked Article 27 of its disciplinary code to suspend the ban for a one-year probationary period — the first time in more than six decades that a player sent off at a World Cup avoided an automatic suspension.espn+3

Belgium's football association appealed the decision but was denied, and Balogun started the match in Seattle on July 7. The U.S. lost to Belgium, ending their tournament run.sports.yahoo+2

European Lawmakers and International Backlash

The fallout extended well beyond the pitch. Seventy-two members of the European Parliament sent a letter on July 9 to the heads of 27 EU football associations demanding an investigation into FIFA and Infantino's adherence to political neutrality. UEFA accused FIFA of "crossing a red line" by suspending the automatic ban.nytimes+2

Infantino has maintained that "FIFA's judicial bodies are independent" and said he merely explained the "ongoing legal process involving FIFA's independent judicial bodies" to Trump. FairSquare, however, argues that Infantino breached Article 15 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, which requires officials to remain politically neutral.sportsbusinessjournal+2

Balogun Acknowledges the Toll

Balogun himself has acknowledged the controversy's impact on the squad. In comments reported Tuesday, the striker said the "outside noise" surrounding Trump's intervention made things "difficult" for the team heading into their loss to Belgium. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino refused to blame the distractions for the defeat.thehill+1

FairSquare had previously filed a complaint to FIFA's own ethics committee in December about Infantino's political neutrality, which remains under review. The IOC complaint now opens a second front of potential disciplinary action against the FIFA president, with possible sanctions ranging from fines to suspension from football-related activities.semissourian+1