IOC rejects call to probe into FIFA president Infantino over World Cup controversy

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has rejected a request to investigate FIFA President Gianni Infantino over his conduct during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying the allegations fall outside its jurisdiction.

The complaint was filed after the tournament by human rights organisation FairSquare, which alleged that Infantino violated the Olympic Charter's principle of political neutrality by openly supporting US President Donald Trump.

Infantino has served as an IOC member since 2020.

The controversy stemmed from the Round of 16 clash between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina. US forward Folarin Balogun was shown a red card in the match and was expected to miss the quarter-final against Belgium. However, reports later claimed that his one-match suspension was deferred for 12 months following intervention by Donald Trump, triggering widespread criticism of FIFA and its president.

In its complaint, FairSquare argued that yielding to political influence breached Article 2 of the Olympic Charter, which requires IOC members to remain independent and free from external pressure in their decision-making.

In a statement, however, the IOC said the allegations concern FIFA's internal governance, its relationship with governments and the application of football regulations—matters that do not fall under the IOC Ethics Code. As a result, the Olympic body said it has no authority to investigate FIFA or its officials over the issue.

Pressure is nonetheless mounting on FIFA. The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) is considering filing a formal complaint with FIFA's Ethics Committee over the decision to suspend the Balogun's ban.

NFF President Lise Klaveness told the BBC that the federation remains "deeply concerned" about the incident and that its board will decide at its next meeting whether to pursue an official ethics complaint against FIFA.

Source: Al Jazeera