A formal complaint has been submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), accusing FIFA president, Gianni Infantino of breaching rules on political neutrality through his dealings with United States President, Donald Trump.

The complaint, filed by Human Rights Nonprofit FairSquare, alleges Infantino violated the Olympic Charter and the IOC’s code of ethics on multiple occasions since becoming an IOC member in 2020, including his handling of the controversial, Folarin Balogun disciplinary case during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The case centred on the suspension of Balogun’s one-match ban by FIFA’s disciplinary committee, allowing the United States striker to feature in the team’s Round of 16 victory over Belgium. The decision came after a phone call between Trump and Infantino, although the FIFA president has insisted the organisation’s judicial bodies operate independently.

FairSquare claims Infantino has repeatedly shown political support for Trump and argues there is “prima facie” evidence that political pressure may have influenced FIFA’s disciplinary process.

The organisation also alleges Infantino promoted a FIFA World Cup fan platform linked to a data-harvesting campaign involving entities connected to Trump.

The complaint follows reports that European lawmakers are seeking support for an investigation into Infantino’s conduct in the European Parliament.

FairSquare previously lodged a similar complaint with FIFA’s ethics committee in December but said it has received no further response beyond confirmation that the complaint was received.

The Norwegian Football Federation and 50 members of the European Parliament have also urged FIFA’s ethics committee to investigate the allegations.

FIFA and the IOC have yet to comment publicly on the complaint. (Arise News)

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