Following FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s involvement in U.S. President Donald Trump’s launch of the Board of Peace, IOC president Kirsty Coventry announced on Friday that the Olympic Committee will “examine” his actions.
Both Infantino and Coventry are among the 107 current members of the International Olympic Committee, all of whom have pledged to act independently of political influences.
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Trump’s peace board event took place in Washington, D.C., where Infantino signed a partnership representing FIFA, potentially channeling $75 million into soccer-related projects in Gaza.
As the 2026 World Cup approaches, Infantino has cultivated a close relationship with the U.S. government, attending Trump’s inauguration last year and visiting the White House and Mar-a-Lago multiple times. The U.S. will co-host the tournament, which features 104 matches, with Canada and Mexico starting June 11.
“The Olympic Charter outlines clear expectations for its members, and we will investigate the reported signing of documents,” Coventry stated at her closing press conference for the Milan Cortina Winter Games, noting that she was previously unaware of Infantino’s prominent role at the event.
“Now that we have been made aware, we will take a closer look at it,” she added after being pressed with further questions.
The IOC’s membership, which is required to maintain political neutrality, includes figures such as Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, and Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the U.S.
Other members include Erick Thohir, the sports minister of Indonesia, whose IOC membership was questioned last year after the country barred Israeli athletes from competing in the gymnastics world championships.
Coventry, who previously served as Zimbabwe’s sports minister, made history by being elected as the IOC’s first female president in March.