Topline
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been accused of violating his own organization’s rules on political neutrality after he invented a new award and promptly gave it to his “close friend” Donald Trump last week ahead of the United States hosting its first World Cup in decades.
Key Facts
FairSquare, a nonprofit organization that says it works to “prevent sporting institutions contributing to harm and suffering,” this week filed an official complaint with FIFA’s Ethics Committee over what it called “repeated breaches” of the organization’s neutrality law by Infantino, The Athletic first reported.
The complaint was sparked by Infantino awarding the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to Trump on Friday, an honor Infantino made up and announced last month without prior approval from the organization’s board, called the FIFA Council.
FairSquare called on the FIFA Ethics Committee to investigate how Trump came to be awarded the prize and also highlighted several other times Infantino has openly flouted his support of Trump, including an Inauguration Day Instagram post in which the FIFA leader said he and Trump would “not only make America great again, but also the entire world.”
FairSquare said Infantino “does not have the authority to unilaterally dictate the organisation’s mission, strategic direction, policies and values,” and said the peace prize ordeal was just the latest way he has acted “in ways that are both dangerous and directly contrary to the interests of the world’s most popular sport.”
Infantino did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment Tuesday.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here: joinsubtext.com/forbes.
Crucial Quote
“The award of a prize of this nature to a sitting political leader is in and of itself a clear breach of Fifa’s duty of neutrality,” FairSquare’s letter to the Ethics Committee said.
