Gianni Infantino faces ethics complaint over Trump ties

Gianni Infantino is facing a fresh ethics complaint that deepens scrutiny of his leadership of FIFA and his relationship with US President Donald Trump. Human rights organisation Fair Square submitted the complaint to FIFA’s ethics committee, alleging that the FIFA president misused his position, breached political neutrality and failed in his duty of loyalty.

The allegations cover eight incidents linked to Trump, with four also appearing in a complaint filed by Fair Square in December after FIFA awarded Trump its new peace prize. The latest filing includes Infantino’s alleged role in the controversy over the red card received by US forward Folarin Balogun at the recent World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. FIFA suspended Balogun’s ban after Trump spoke to Infantino by phone, allowing the player to appear in the following match.

The complaint also refers to the collapse of a disputed investment arrangement. Infantino has faced strong criticism over plans to sell private investors stakes in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup; those plans were later abandoned. UEFA has threatened to boycott FIFA events and is preparing legal action over the investment proposals, alleging breaches of fiduciary duties. Despite the pressure, Infantino has confirmed that he will seek re-election at FIFA’s presidential vote in March.