FIFA President Infantino accused of breaching neutrality over Trump Peace Prize

• FIFA’s Gianni Infantino accused of breaching political neutrality rules.
• Infantino praised Trump and awarded him the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize.
• FairSquare files complaint with FIFA ethics committee.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing allegations of violating the organization’s rules on political neutrality due to his public support for US President Donald Trump. Infantino, who has developed a close relationship with Trump, presented him with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize at last week’s World Cup draw in Washington DC.

The advocacy group FairSquare, which promotes accountability in sport, submitted a complaint to FIFA’s ethics committee. The letter claims Infantino’s remarks and the process of awarding Trump the prize breach FIFA rules. In October, Infantino wrote on Instagram that Trump “definitely deserves” the Nobel Peace Prize.

At the World Cup draw, he said, “This is what we want from a leader … you definitely deserve the first FIFA peace prize for your action for what you have obtained in your way but you obtained it in an incredible way and you can always count, Mr President, on my support.”

In November, Infantino further endorsed Trump during an interview at the American Business Forum in Miami, stating, “we should all support what (Trump) is doing (in the US) because I think it’s looking pretty good.” FairSquare also referenced a 20 January Instagram post by Infantino on Trump’s inauguration day, which concluded, “Together we will make not only America great again, but also the entire world.”

The complaint argues that awarding the FIFA Peace Prize to a sitting political leader violates FIFA’s duty of neutrality and that Infantino lacked authority to make such a decision unilaterally. “The FIFA president does not have the authority to unilaterally dictate the organisation’s mission, strategic direction, policies and values,” FairSquare said.

“This complaint is about a lot more than Infantino’s support for President Donald Trump’s political agenda,” said Nicholas McGeehan, FairSquare’s programme director. “More broadly this is about how FIFA’s absurd governance structure has allowed Gianni Infantino to openly flout the organisation’s rules and act in ways that are both dangerous and directly contrary to the interests of the world’s most popular sport.”