IOC rejects complaint against FIFA chief Infantino over alleged political bias

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has dismissed a complaint filed against FIFA President Gianni Infantino over alleged breaches of political neutrality, ruling that the matter falls outside the authority of its Ethics Commission.

In a statement on Friday, an IOC spokesperson said the Ethics Commission had carefully reviewed the complaint submitted by human rights organisation FairSquare but concluded it did not have jurisdiction to investigate the allegations.

According to the IOC, the complaint relates to FIFA‍‍`s governance, its management decisions, its relationships with governments and the implementation of football regulations all areas that are not covered by the IOC Code of Ethics.

"The IOC Ethics Commission thoroughly analysed the complaint by FairSquare," the spokesperson said.

"The commission noted that the current complaint, including with regard to the FIFA president, refers only to the IF‍‍`s decisions on its governance and its management, including its relations with government, and to the IF‍‍`s implementation of the rules of its sport, which are both outside the scope of application of the IOC Code of Ethics."

The spokesperson added that FairSquare had been informed that the complaint could not be considered by the commission.

FairSquare lodged the complaint on July 14, accusing Infantino of repeatedly violating the IOC‍‍`s political neutrality rules by publicly supporting US President Donald Trump.

The organisation argued that Infantino‍‍`s appearances alongside Trump and his public comments amounted to political endorsement, prompting it to seek action from the IOC.

The complaint follows an earlier submission to FIFA‍‍`s Ethics Committee last year, in which FairSquare raised similar concerns over Infantino‍‍`s relationship with the US president.

Infantino, who has served as an IOC member since 2020, has faced increased scrutiny over his close association with Trump, particularly during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

One of the most widely discussed moments came during the World Cup final on July 19, when Trump joined Infantino on the field during the trophy presentation ceremony at New York New Jersey Stadium. The pair were met with loud boos from sections of the crowd.

Trump also revealed during the tournament that he had contacted Infantino to request a review of a red card shown to United States striker Folarin Balogun in the Round of 32 against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Balogun, who had initially been suspended for the Round of 16, was later cleared to play against Belgium, although the United States went on to lose the match 4-1.

In December, Trump received FIFA‍‍`s inaugural Peace Prize, with the organisation recognising his efforts to promote dialogue and de-escalation in several international conflicts.