The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Friday that it will not conduct an investigation into Gianni Infantino, following President Donald Trump’s contact regarding the controversial red card given to Folarin Balogun. Balogun, a player for the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT), received a red card in the World Cup’s round of 32. Initially, this card disqualified him from participating in the subsequent round, but FIFA later suspended the decision, allowing Balogun to play.
President Trump revealed that he had called Infantino to suggest a review. Despite this, FIFA asserted that Trump’s inquiry did not influence its decision-making process. Some argue Balogun’s red card should not have been issued, adding further controversy. The London-based NGO, FairSquare, filed a formal complaint to the IOC’s ethics commission concerning Infantino. The IOC’s Olympic Charter emphasizes neutrality among its fundamental principles for sports organizations, including FIFA and its numerous member associations.
The IOC stated that no formal investigation would proceed since the complaint focused on FIFA’s governance issues and rule implementation, which are beyond the IOC ethics commission’s jurisdiction. Their statement read that the matter pertains solely to FIFA’s management decisions rather than its direct linkage with the Olympic committee.
President Trump expressed his disagreement with the red card decision, stating, “All I did was ask for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul. It was two great athletes who crashed into each other and got entangled. It wasn’t a violent act like punching. Removing a top player impacts the game. I relayed my thoughts but didn’t instruct Infantino. I believe it was a committee decision, and they rightly concluded it’s not a foul.”
Despite Balogun’s eligibility after the incident, the United States lost to Belgium 4-1. (The Associated Press contributed to this report.)