Overview
- FairSquare filed an eight-page complaint alleging Gianni Infantino breached FIFA’s duty of political neutrality by creating and awarding a peace prize to a sitting political leader.
- Reporting from The Athletic and senior FIFA sources indicates the new award was introduced without consultation of the FIFA Council or vice-presidents, raising procedural concerns.
- The complaint highlights Infantino’s public support for Donald Trump, including remarks that he "definitely deserves" the FIFA prize and social posts backing him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
- FIFA said its Ethics Committee does not comment on potential cases, and the organization has not confirmed whether it will investigate the complaint.
- Human Rights Watch criticized the decision and called for transparency on criteria, while FIFA’s Code of Ethics allows penalties for neutrality breaches that can include a ban of up to two years.