Published On 9/7/2026
A human rights organization said on Wednesday that FIFA President Gianni Infantino will be referred to Olympic ethics investigators for a possible violation of political neutrality, after US President Donald Trump helped prevent the ban of a World Cup player.
Trump had given himself credit, the day before Monday, for FIFA’s decision, unprecedented in the history of the modern World Cup, to allow US national team striker Folarin Balogun to play on the same day against Belgium, despite receiving a red card in the previous match. The Belgian team, which seemed affected by the uproar surrounding the decision, achieved a landslide victory with a score of 4-1 in Seattle.
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The IOC refers to neutrality as one of the “fundamental principles of the Olympic Movement” of sporting bodies such as FIFA, and has had jurisdiction over Infantino since he joined its exclusive group of more than 100 invited members in 2020.
Fair Square, a London-based non-governmental organization concerned with sports and human rights, said in a statement on Wednesday: “Fair Square will submit a complaint to the International Olympic Committee regarding FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s repeated violation of the rules of political neutrality.”
