FIFA President Infantino Accused of Breaching Ethics Rules in Controversial World Cup Draw Commentary
A recent formal complaint has been lodged against FIFA President Gianni Infantino regarding potential breaches of FIFA's political-neutrality policy during the World Cup draw. The complaint, filed by FairSquare, questions Infantino's handling of the FIFA Peace Prize presentation involving U.S. President Trump.
A formal complaint has been submitted to FIFA regarding issues related to political neutrality during last week’s World Cup draw. FairSquare, a non-profit advocacy organization, sent an eight-page letter to FIFA’s Ethics Committee outlining four alleged infringements by FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the event, including the presentation of the FIFA Peace Prize.A non-profit organization has submitted a formal complaint to FIFA following the World Cup draw. The two-hour ceremony on Friday, Dec. 5, included multiple references to U.S. President Donald Trump, among them the presentation of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. During the event, FIFA said the award recognized Trump’s commitment to “promote peace and unity around the world.”FairSquare, which filed the complaint, stated that the presentation of the prize, along with other actions during the ceremony, may breach FIFA’s political-neutrality policy. In its letter, the group asked the ethics committee to “investigate the circumstances surrounding the decision to introduce and award a FIFA Peace Prize and their conformity with FIFA’s procedural rules.”The two leaders have met on several occasions in recent years, and it is common for FIFA presidents to meet with political leaders in different countries. During the draw, Infantino made several remarks about Trump from the stage.“I’m a bit surprised sometimes when I read some negative comments [about President Trump]. I am not American, but as far as I understand, President Trump was elected in the United States of America and was quite clearly elected. When you are in such a great democracy as the United States of America, you should first of all respect the results of the election,” he said.FairSquare’s complaint to FIFA said these remarks represented a political position and that they violated FIFA’s neutrality code.The FIFA ethics code states that football’s governing body should remain politically neutral. It says: “FIFA remains neutral in matters of politics and religion,” and “requires that all persons bound by the code remain politically neutral … in dealings with government institutions.”Infantino has met with Trump on several occasions. He was invited to the presidential inauguration and has made visits to the Oval Office during Trump’s term.The Peace Prize, presented to Trump during the draw, has come under consistent scrutiny, as it appeared to have been awarded unilaterally, without consultation of senior FIFA officials. According to reporting in The Athletic, numerous high ranking FIFA officials had no idea that the award existed, and has no role in its distribution before it was announced on Nov. 4. The award was revealed on the same day Infantino spoke at an event in the United States.
Allegations Against Infantino
FairSquare, a non-profit advocacy group, has submitted an eight-page letter to FIFA's Ethics Committee outlining four alleged infringements by President Gianni Infantino during last week's World Cup draw. The ceremony, which included references to U.S. President Donald Trump, featured the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize presentation to Trump. The complaint questions the decision to introduce and award the Peace Prize and its alignment with FIFA's political-neutrality regulations.
Political Neutrality Concerns
The complaint by FairSquare suggests that Infantino's comments regarding President Trump during the draw breached FIFA's political-neutrality policy. FIFA's ethics code mandates neutrality in matters of politics and religion. It calls for all individuals under the code to maintain political neutrality in their interactions with government bodies. Infantino's past meetings with Trump and the unilateral nature of the Peace Prize award have raised questions about FIFA's adherence to these neutrality standards.
Controversial Remarks and Peace Prize Presentation
Infantino's statements at the event, expressing surprise at negative comments about President Trump and highlighting respect for election results in democracies, have been flagged as potentially political in nature. The Peace Prize awarded to Trump during the draw has faced criticism for its unilateral conferral without broader consultation within FIFA. The lack of awareness among senior FIFA officials regarding the award prior to its public announcement has added to the controversy surrounding the event.





