Gianni Infantino appears set to evade sanctions following allegations that he violated political neutrality rules in his interactions with Donald Trump regarding the Folarin Balogun incident.
This week, the International Olympic Committee received a formal complaint from the human rights organization FairSquare concerning Infantino’s actions after Trump disclosed that he had contacted the FIFA president to urge a review of Balogun’s suspension from the USA’s round of 16 match against Belgium. This suspension was later lifted for a year following an extraordinary ruling by FIFA’s disciplinary committee.
As an IOC member since 2020, Infantino is bound by the organization’s charter, which mandates members to operate independently from political and commercial influences. The charter explicitly states that they cannot accept any directives from governments, organizations, or other entities that could compromise their decision-making autonomy.
FairSquare contends that Infantino’s talks with Trump constitute a breach of this principle. However, Infantino has denied any wrongdoing, and sources indicate a formal investigation is unlikely.
IOC insiders have revealed a strong reluctance to interfere with an international federation’s implementation of its own regulations, particularly when internal appeals processes remain unexhausted.
Moreover, dynamics between the IOC and FIFA have evolved significantly over the last twenty years, with the IOC increasingly depending on FIFA for commercial revenue and engagement with younger audiences.
With the Los Angeles Summer Olympics scheduled for 2028, the IOC is eager to leverage the growing popularity of soccer in the United States, which has resulted in record ticket sales and revenue from the recent World Cup. This context makes any action regarding Balogun’s situation even less likely.
Notably, the IOC has yet to receive any complaints from UEFA or the Royal Belgian Football Federation, both of which condemned the decision to suspend Balogun’s ban.
The Belgian federation has stated it is considering all legal avenues, including a potential appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, although it has remained quiet since the team was eliminated from the World Cup in the quarter-finals by Spain, with indications that it might drop the matter altogether.
The federation’s president, Pascale Van Damme, serves on FIFA’s Council, which is the governing body’s primary decision-making body.
Despite the controversy, Infantino seems to have maintained his influence, with over 200 of the 211 FIFA member associations sending letters of personal support to him ahead of the presidential election next year.
UEFA has reportedly opted not to pursue the issue further, despite having released a strong statement last week in support of Belgium, which accused FIFA of undermining football’s credibility and the integrity of the World Cup.
Infantino confirmed having spoken with Trump about the matter, but a statement attributed to him by FIFA asserted that such discussions occur regularly on various topics and are also held with other heads of state.
He emphasized that the decision to revoke Balogun’s ban was made independently by FIFA’s disciplinary committee. “from governments, organisations, or other parties, any mandate or instructions liable to interfere with the freedom of their action and vote” he stated. “They operate autonomously, apply the Fifa disciplinary code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them,”
Reports from The Times indicated that the decision to lift Balogun’s suspension was solely made by the chair of FIFA’s disciplinary committee, Mohammad al-Kamali from the United Arab Emirates. However, other sources within FIFA suggest he is being positioned as a scapegoat.
An independent decision by al-Kamali would mark a significant deviation from the disciplinary committee’s typical processes during a World Cup, which customarily involve three-person panels overseeing disciplinary issues and decisions made by majority vote.
The panel members are chosen from the 18 individuals on FIFA’s disciplinary committee, with Thomas Hollerer, the general secretary of the Austrian Football Association, leading the panel starting from the quarter-finals.
The Guardian has not been able to confirm the identities of the panel members for the last 32, the tournament stage where Balogun received a red card during the USA’s 2-1 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
FIFA has not disclosed the written rationale behind the disciplinary committee’s ruling but noted in a statement last week that the decision was made after considering all relevant circumstances surrounding the incident and the available evidence. They added that “Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.”
