The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Friday that it will not pursue an investigation into FIFA President Gianni Infantino regarding a phone call from former U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump’s call concerned a controversial red card given to Folarin Balogun during the World Cup.
Balogun, playing for the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT), received the red card in the round of 32. This initially made him ineligible for participation in the subsequent round. However, FIFA ultimately decided to revoke the red card, allowing Balogun to play.
Though Trump claimed to have called Infantino to request a review of the decision, FIFA clarified that Trump’s call did not influence its decision. Despite the ruling, debates persisted about the validity of Balogun’s red card.
President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino were pictured together with the FIFA World Cup winner’s trophy before it was awarded to Spain captain Rodri after the World Cup 2026 final match between Spain and Argentina, held at New York’s New Jersey Stadium.
In response to the incident, a London-based NGO, FairSquare, lodged a formal complaint to the IOC ethics commission against Infantino. The IOC’s Olympic Charter emphasizes neutrality among sports organizations like FIFA. Infantino has been a member of FIFA since 2020.
The IOC decided not to open a formal investigation since FairSquare’s complaint focused on FIFA’s governance and relations with governments, not specific interactions with the IOC. The complaint did not fall under the jurisdiction of the IOC ethics commission.
President Trump, speaking at the time, defended his action saying, “I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul.” He further stated that it was a collision between two athletes, not an aggressive act, suggesting there was no valid reason to bar a top player from participating.
Despite Balogun’s eligibility to play, the U.S. team lost a match against Belgium with a score of 4-1.
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