BRUSSELS — A group of European lawmakers is rallying support to initiate an investigation in the European Parliament into FIFA president Gianni Infantino for his role in allowing U.S. striker Folarin Balogun to compete despite receiving a red card earlier.
In addition, Infantino may face scrutiny from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as a human rights organization announced plans to file a complaint on Wednesday.
During a match on July 1, Balogun received a red card in the U.S. team’s win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, which typically would disqualify him from playing in the following game. However, FIFA lifted his suspension after U.S. President Donald Trump intervened with Infantino on Balogun’s behalf.
Lawmakers Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters, and Niels Fuglsang expressed concern in a joint statement, labeling FIFA’s decision to “alter the rules on red card suspensions mid-tournament” as “a disgrace and a perversion of justice.”
“This is yet another instance where Infantino and FIFA have capitulated to the pressures of the Trump administration,” the statement noted.
The legislators are urging the national football associations of EU member states to encourage the FIFA Ethics Committee to investigate Infantino and examine whether pressure from the Trump administration influenced the suspension’s lifting, as well as any potential violations of political neutrality, such as awarding Trump the FIFA Peace Prize.
FIFA has asserted that the decision to lift the suspension came from a disciplinary committee.
So far, 35 members of Parliament have endorsed the letter.
“The essence of sport lies in its foundation of fair and transparent rules. When Infantino allows political pressure to dictate who can participate, the integrity of the game is compromised,” they stated.
The IOC is also considering an investigation into Infantino’s actions.
Neutrality is a core principle of Olympism, applicable to sports bodies like FIFA, and the IOC has jurisdiction over Infantino since he joined its exclusive circle of invitational members in 2020.
The London-based sports and human rights organization FairSquare announced its intention to file a complaint with the IOC regarding what it described as Gianni Infantino’s repeated breaches of political neutrality.
This announcement came just a day after IOC President Kirsty Coventry informed reporters that no such complaints had yet been received.
“If they do come in, it would certainly be investigated,” Coventry stated during an online news conference when asked about the controversial influence of the Trump administration on the Balogun situation.
Earlier, Coventry acknowledged that the IOC was monitoring the developments surrounding the interference in gameplay issues related to the World Cup co-host nation, which is also set to host the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
FIFA has been approached for comments regarding the IOC complaint concerning its president.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.