The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been asked to investigate FIFA president Gianni Infantino over allegations that he repeatedly breached the Olympic movement's rules on political neutrality through his public support for U.S. President Donald Trump.
The complaint was filed by advocacy group FairSquare, which argues that Infantino's actions undermine the independence expected of IOC members. Infantino has been an IOC member since 2020.
Among the issues raised is the controversy surrounding U.S. striker Folarin Balogun's suspension during this summer's tournament.
FairSquare claims Infantino may have played a role in the suspension of Balogun's one-match ban, allowing the forward to feature in the United States' round-of-16 clash against Belgium on July 6.
Balogun had been sent off in the 64th minute of the United States' 1 July victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina after receiving a straight red card for a challenge on Tarik Muharemovic. Although the Americans won 2-0 with 10 men, Balogun was automatically suspended for the following match.
Under FIFA rules, red cards and automatic suspensions cannot normally be appealed. However, FIFA announced on 5 July that the suspension had been halted.
"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 year," FIFA said in a brief statement, without providing further details.
Balogun went on to play against Belgium, but the United States suffered a 4-1 defeat and exited the tournament.
Trump publicly acknowledged lobbying for Balogun to be available, saying he believed the red card should never have been issued.
"All I did was ask for a review because I didn't think it was a foul," Trump said before the Belgium match.
"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 the referee's decision to red card."
Infantino confirmed he had received a phone call from Trump but denied influencing the disciplinary process.
In a statement published on FIFA's website, Infantino stressed that the organisation's judicial bodies operate independently.
"Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected," the statement said.
The Balogun case is one of five alleged breaches outlined in FairSquare's complaint to the IOC.
The organisation argues there is "compelling evidence" that Infantino repeatedly expressed political support for Trump, violating the Olympic Charter and the IOC Code of Ethics.
"As outlined in the FairSquare complaint, 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," FairSquare said.
The complaint also points to Infantino's promotion of a FIFA fan website for the 2026 World Cup, which FairSquare claims "appears to have been part of a data-harvesting campaign run by entities linked to President Trump."
Other allegations include an Instagram post supporting Trump after attending an event linked to his presidential inauguration in January 2025, publicly backing Trump's nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2025, making further supportive remarks in November, and presenting Trump with FIFA's inaugural Peace Prize during the World Cup draw in December.
FairSquare said it had already submitted a complaint to FIFA's ethics committee in December. That complaint was backed by the Norwegian Football Federation, while 50 members of the European Parliament also expressed support in a separate letter sent on June 29.
Neither the IOC nor FIFA responded to requests for comment from multiple media outlets.
The latest complaint raises fresh questions over the balance between football's global leadership and the Olympic movement's requirement for political neutrality, as pressure grows for the IOC to determine whether one of its members has crossed that line.
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