Infantino accused of breaching political neutrality rules after Balogun controversy

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleFifa president Gianni Infantino is facing a formal complaint lodged with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) by human rights organisation FairSquare, alleging breaches of political neutrality rules. The complaint claims Infantino, an IOC member since 2020, has repeatedly violated the Olympic Charter and the IOC’s code of ethics, specifically citing his dealings with the US President. A key incident highlighted is the controversial suspension of US striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match World Cup ban, which allowed him to play against Belgium, following a phone call between the US President and Infantino. Reports indicate that Fifa’s disciplinary committee chair, Mohammad Al Kamali, made the decision to suspend Balogun's ban alone, a departure from previous disciplinary cases, with Fifa yet to provide an explanation. FairSquare's complaint outlines multiple breaches of IOC rules, and similar concerns have been raised by the Norwegian football federation and fifty Members of the European Parliament to Fifa’s ethics committee, contrasting with other strict disciplinary actions at the World Cup. In fullFifa president Gianni Infantino facing formal complaint after Trump phone call over Folarin Balogun banMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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