IOC rules out probe into Fifa chief Gianni Infantino

The International Olympic Committee has stated it will not look into Gianni Infantino, arguing that a grievance raised against the Fifa leader falls beyond its remit.

The advocacy organization FairSquare lodged a protest with the IOC, alleging that Infantino violated its code by failing to uphold political impartiality “through remarks or other overt displays of backing for the US president.”

During the World Cup, US President Donald Trump acknowledged that he had phoned Infantino to request a reassessment of a red card issued to American forward Folarin Balogun.

The striker appeared set to sit out his team’s round-of-16 clash with Belgium after being dismissed in their 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina.

However, following Trump’s involvement, the automatic one-game suspension was put on hold for 12 months. No explanation was offered, other than a reference to a regulation that permits penalties to be deferred.

Balogun featured in the starting lineup for the match, which Belgium won 4-1.

Infantino has held IOC membership since 2020.

Article two of the Olympic charter declares: “Members of the IOC shall not accept from governments, organisations, or other parties, any mandate or instructions liable to interfere with the freedom of their action and vote.”

The IOC indicated that the accusation against Infantino was not within the purview of its ethics panel.

“The current complaint, with regard to the Fifa president, refers only to the international federation’s decisions on its governance and its management, including its relations with government, and to the international federation’s implementation of the rules of its sport, which are both outside the scope of application of the IOC code of ethics,” it noted.

This declaration from the IOC emerged just a day after reports surfaced that the Norwegian Football Federation was contemplating a formal submission to Fifa’s ethics body concerning the choice to defer Balogun’s standard one-match suspension.

In a communication supplied to media outlets, NFF president Lise Klaveness said the federation had responded with “deep alarm” and that a ruling on whether to proceed with a protest would be reached at its upcoming board gathering.

The federation has previously submitted a grievance regarding Fifa’s inaugural Peace Prize being conferred upon Trump.

Requests for a response from Fifa have been made.