Rights group plans complaint to IOC against Infantino over Trump support

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkHuman rights group FairSquare said it will lodge the complaint with the IOC regarding Infantino's 'repeated breach of political neutrality rules', escalating a dispute that has already seen them challenge FIFA's own ethics processes [File: Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo]By ReutersPublished On 9 Jul 20269 Jul 2026FIFA President Gianni Infantino could face an investigation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after a rights group announced plans to file a complaint alleging he breached political neutrality rules through his support for United States President Donald Trump.Human rights group FairSquare said it will lodge the complaint with the IOC regarding Infantino’s “repeated breach of political neutrality rules”, escalating a dispute that has already seen them challenge FIFA’s own ethics processes.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Why FIFA’s Balogun red card suspension after Trump call is so controversiallist 2 of 4‘Overturn this’: USA derided as football trumps politics in Belgium winlist 3 of 4Triumph to disaster: Egypt’s pride remains as they bow out of World Cuplist 4 of 4VAR call, Argentina win raise questions of legitimacy at World Cupend of listInfantino has been an IOC member since 2020.FairSquare had filed a complaint with the FIFA Ethics Committee in December 2025, citing multiple instances where Infantino “expressed his public support for the actions and policies” of Trump.“It also requests that the Ethics Committee investigate Mr Infantino’s role in the decision to introduce a FIFA Peace Prize, the decision to award it to President Trump … and the conformity of these processes with FIFA’s procedural rules,” FairSquare said.FIFA president Gianni Infantino, right, presents President Donald Trump with the FIFA Peace Prize during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw at John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 5, 2025, in Washington, DC [Amber Searls/Imagn Images/Reuters]Duty of neutralityFairSquare’s complaint says Infantino breached Article 15 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, which deals with the duty of neutrality.People bound by the code must remain politically neutral in official dealings, with breaches punishable by a fine of at least 10,000 Swiss francs ($12,400) and up to a two-year ban from any football-related activity.The complaint also requests that the Ethics Committee investigate whether the decisions to introduce an annual Peace Prize and then award it to Trump at the World Cup draw were taken by the FIFA Council or unilaterally by Infantino himself.“If Mr Infantino acted unilaterally and without any statutory authority, this should be considered an egregious abuse of power,” FairSquare said. IOC ‘would look into’ complaintIOC President Kirsty Coventry said on Tuesday no complaint had been received to be considered by the ethics commission but added: “Obviously, if they do, they would look into it.”While FIFA’s Secretariat of the Investigatory Chamber acknowledged receiving the complaint in December, the global football body has given “no indication” that an investigation has begun, FairSquare said.According to the Reuters news agency, FIFA told FairSquare that its secretariat may initiate preliminary investigations into a “potential breach of the FIFA Code of Ethics” on instructions from the chairperson of the Investigatory Chamber.But filing a complaint does not guarantee that ethics proceedings will be opened, while complainants are not parties to proceedings, with no updates or further information available due to confidentiality.FairSquare launched a public campaign aimed at serious reform of FIFA titled Reboot a week before the World Cup kicked off.Last week, FairSquare said 50 members of the European Parliament had written to FIFA’s Ethics Committee expressing support for the complaint against Infantino.The Norwegian Football Federation also formally backed an official complaint, asking the committee to assess whether Infantino violated the governing body’s statutes regarding political neutrality through the award of the Peace Prize and related actions.More recently at the World Cup, FIFA suspended American striker Folarin Balogun’s red-card ban and cleared him to play in the last-16 tie against Belgium, which the US lost 4-1, after Trump personally urged Infantino to review the case.However, Infantino denied being involved in the final decision.