IOC rejects FairSquare complaint over Infantino's ties to Trump, citing independence of federations

The complaint

FairSquare, a British human rights organisation, filed a ten-page complaint in early July 2026, accusing Gianni Infantino of repeatedly violating the International Olympic Committee's rules on political neutrality. The group alleged five clear violations supported by "compelling evidence", plus circumstantial evidence for two more. Central to the complaint was Infantino's public support for US President Donald Trump.

“Gianni Infantino has repeatedly violated the IOC rules on political neutrality by offering his political support to the President of the United States, Donald Trump.”

The incidents

Three episodes featured prominently: the FIFA peace prize Infantino awarded to Trump in December 2025, after the US president had sought but not received the Nobel Peace Prize; Infantino's attendance at the first meeting of Trump's so-called peace council in February 2026; and Trump's intervention with Infantino during the football World Cup after US striker Folarin Balogun received a red card in the round-of-32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina. The automatic suspension was lifted, allowing Balogun to play in the round-of-16 match against Belgium. Media reports indicate the decision was taken unilaterally by Mohammad al-Kamali, the Emirati chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. FIFA later insisted the decision was unrelated to Trump.

IOC's dismissal

The IOC Ethics Commission, ruling on 24 July 2026, rejected the complaint, declaring it outside its jurisdiction. A spokesperson cited the Olympic Charter's guarantee of independence for each international federation. The ethics body stressed that the IOC Code of Ethics applies only to a federation's relationship with the IOC, not its internal governance.

“The IOC Ethics Commission determined that the present complaint, also with regard to the FIFA President, relates exclusively to the international federation's decisions regarding its self-governance and management, including its relations with the government, and to the international federation's implementation of the rules of its sport, both of which lie outside the scope of the IOC Code of Ethics.”

The spokesperson added that the complaint "does not fall within the jurisdiction of the IOC Ethics Commission."

Broader context

Infantino is an IOC member by virtue of his position as FIFA president. FairSquare had already filed a complaint in December 2025 with FIFA's own ethics body after Infantino bestowed the peace prize on Trump. That complaint was joined by the Norwegian Football Association and 50 members of the European Parliament. The IOC had faced questions earlier this year over Infantino's participation in Trump's peace council, but at the time dismissed the criticism. Only at the end of June 2026 did the IOC strengthen the language in its Charter emphasising the independence of Olympic sport from governmental, societal, or economic pressure. FairSquare was informed on 24 July that its latest complaint had been rejected.

FIFA's defence

Infantino has consistently underscored the autonomy of FIFA's judicial bodies. Following the Balogun controversy, he wrote that the relevant committees were independent and worked autonomously, applying the FIFA Disciplinary Code and taking decisions solely on the basis of current rules and the facts of each case. FairSquare, however, argued that the pattern of behaviour was at odds with Infantino's obligations as an IOC member.