Wealth Hacks & Passive Income · Tyler Moss · 15 July 2026

IOC asked to probe FIFA president over Balogun ban flip

IOC asked to probe FIFA president over Balogun ban flip

Advocacy group FairSquare has asked the IOC to investigate president FIFA official Gianni Infantino over his alleged role in reversing U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match World Cup ban after a call from Donald Trump. Infantino denied any interference. The IOC told FairSquare it will look into the matter.

The complaint sits at the intersection of sport, power, and public trust. FairSquare, a nonprofit focused on labour migration rights, political repression, and sport governance, argues that Infantino’s ties to Trump raise political-neutrality questions under Olympic rules. Infantino, FIFA’s president and an IOC member since 2020, says FIFA’s judicial bodies decide cases independently.

For readers who follow how institutions, brands, and money move after headline controversies, BlasterPost covers related business angles in its Wealth Hacks & Passive Income section.

Key Takeaways

Why did FairSquare ask the IOC to investigate?

FairSquare wants the IOC to test whether Infantino breached duty-of-neutrality rules that bind Olympic members. When he was sworn in as an IOC member in Lausanne in 2020, he said, via Reuters: “I will always act independently of commercial and political interests as well as of any racial or religious consideration.”

The Olympic Charter requires members to act independently of political and commercial interests. They may not accept mandates or instructions from governments or other parties that could interfere with their freedom of action and vote. FairSquare says that if Infantino intervened after Trump’s request in the Balogun case, that would breach neutrality and undermine sporting integrity.

According to reporting from Reuters and The Athletic, the Balogun episode is only one part of a wider FairSquare complaint. The group alleges Infantino publicly supported Trump on five occasions, which it calls clear breaches of IOC political-neutrality rules.

Those cited examples include an Instagram video after an inauguration-linked event in January 2025 in which Infantino said, “Together we will make not only America great again but also the entire world.” FairSquare also points to Infantino’s October 2025 Nobel Peace Prize endorsement of Trump, comments calling Trump “a really close friend,” and the presentation of FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize to Trump at the World Cup draw in December, when Infantino told him: “You can always count, Mr. President, on my support.”

FairSquare also asked the IOC to examine Infantino’s promotion of a World Cup fan platform that the group claims appears linked to a data-harvesting campaign connected to Trump-linked entities. Infantino was previously cleared by the IOC over appearing at Trump’s Board of Peace meeting in a “45-47” hat.

What happened with Balogun’s World Cup ban?

Folarin Balogun, 25, received a straight red card in the round of 32 against Bosnia and Herzegovina for a foul on Tarik Muharemovic. Under Article 10.5 of FIFA’s tournament rules, that sanction carried an automatic one-game suspension.

FIFA’s disciplinary committee later suspended the sanction, making Balogun eligible for the United States’ round-of-16 match against Belgium on July 6. He started that game. The U.S. lost 4-1 and was eliminated.

FIFA announced the move by citing operation of Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, suspending the automatic match ban for a one-year probationary period. Public reporting noted FIFA offered little further explanation at the time.

Trump later said he had called Infantino and asked for the case to be reviewed. “All I did, I asked for a review, because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said after the decision was reversed. “And again, I’m good at this stuff. I think they made a brilliant decision. I think the referee’s call was horrible.”

FairSquare treats the episode as a serious alleged breach if political pressure shaped a competitive outcome. Critics in European politics have also piled on: 72 MEPs wrote to EU football associations this month seeking scrutiny of the Balogun decision-making process, after 50 MEPs wrote to FIFA on June 29 over earlier neutrality allegations.

How has Infantino responded to the Trump call claims?

Infantino has denied interfering in the decision-making process. A statement on his behalf published on FIFA’s website said FIFA’s judicial bodies “operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them.”

“Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected,” the statement continued. Infantino confirmed he spoke with Trump about the issue and said he pointed the U.S. president to the independence of the committees.

He also stressed that he speaks to Trump regularly on a range of issues, as he does with other heads of state. FairSquare had previously filed a complaint with FIFA’s Ethics Committee in December 2025; that case has since drawn support from the Norwegian Football Federation and members of the European Parliament.

The Athletic reported that the IOC has told FairSquare it will now look into the matter. FIFA has been contacted for comment in that coverage. Whether the probe becomes a formal inquiry with sanctions remains to be seen, but the complaint keeps pressure on the president FIFA leadership figures are judged by: independence from political influence on the field of play.

For US and UK audiences watching the World Cup through a governance lens, the core question is simple. Did a political phone call stay outside the disciplinary room, or did proximity to power blur a line the Olympic Charter and FIFA’s own ethics rules say must stay bright?

← Open in blast feed