IOC Receives Complaint Against Infantino Over Balogun Suspension Reversal

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has received a formal complaint seeking an investigation into FIFA President Gianni Infantino over alleged breaches of political neutrality, including claims surrounding the suspension of United States striker Folarin Balogun's automatic one-match ban during the FIFA World Cup 2026. The complaint, filed by advocacy group FairSquare, alleges that Infantino's conduct violated the IOC Code of Ethics and the Olympic Charter, which require IOC members to maintain political neutrality.

A central issue in the complaint concerns FIFA's decision to suspend the implementation of Balogun's automatic one-match suspension after the forward received a straight red card in the 64th minute of the United States' Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina for a challenge on Tarik Muharemovic. Under FIFA regulations, the suspension would ordinarily take effect automatically. However, on July 5, FIFA announced that, under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the suspension would instead remain suspended for a probationary period of one year, allowing Balogun to play in the Round of 16 match against Belgium.

The controversy intensified after US President Donald Trump publicly stated that he had asked FIFA to review the incident, arguing that the challenge did not warrant a red card. Trump later praised FIFA's decision, saying the referee's original call had been incorrect. Infantino acknowledged receiving a phone call from the US President but denied influencing the judicial process, maintaining that FIFA's independent disciplinary bodies alone were responsible for the decision.

Also Read: FIFA's Infantino Condemns Racist Remarks Against Kylian Mbappe

In a statement published by FIFA, Infantino reiterated that the organisation's judicial bodies operate independently and that their autonomy is essential to maintaining the integrity and credibility of football. Despite those assurances, FairSquare contends that the circumstances surrounding the Balogun decision, together with several other actions, raise questions about Infantino's compliance with the political neutrality obligations attached to his role as an IOC member since 2020.

Beyond the Balogun case, the complaint alleges that Infantino expressed political support for President Trump through several public actions, including endorsing him for the Nobel Peace Prize, participating in events linked to his presidential inauguration, presenting FIFA's inaugural Peace Prize to Trump and promoting a FIFA World Cup fan platform that FairSquare claims was associated with a political data collection campaign. The advocacy group argues that these actions collectively amount to multiple breaches of IOC ethical standards.

FairSquare had previously submitted a complaint to FIFA's Ethics Committee in December, a move later supported by the Norwegian Football Federation and a separate submission signed by 50 Members of the European Parliament in June. As of now, neither the International Olympic Committee nor FIFA has publicly responded to the latest complaint. The matter is expected to attract further scrutiny as questions continue over governance, transparency and the independence of decision-making within international football.

Also Read: Infantino Defends Balogun Reprieve After Trump's Direct Appeal