The IOC will not sanction FIFA President Gianni Infantino over the…
The IOC will not sanction FIFA President Gianni Infantino over the scandal at the 2026 World Cup. Moscow, July 25: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) refused to consider applying sanctions against FIFA President Gianni Infantino due to the cancellation of US player Falao Balogun's disqualification at the 2026 WC.
Consensus
- The IOC will not consider imposing sanctions on Gianni Infantino regarding the reversal of Folarin Balogun's red card dismissal during the 2026 World Cup.
- The complaint against Infantino was submitted by a human rights organization due to allegations of political pressure influencing the decision.
- The disciplinary action involved the suspension of Balogun’s one-match ban after he received a red card for striking an opponent with studs from behind in a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina during the 2026 World Cup.
- FIFA decided to suspend, not cancel, the automatic one-match ban, allowing Balogun to play against Belgium.
- U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed he called Gianni Infantino to request reconsideration of the red card decision.
- The IOC stated that the complaint fell outside the jurisdiction of its ethics commission.
Points of divergence
- Trump later said he did not know how a red card worked before this incident, despite claiming to be knowledgeable about sports. — fontanka
- The suspension of the ban was made after a call from the White House to Infantino, according to journalist Ben Jacobs. — vesti
Coverage (2 sources)
- IOC will not punish Infantino for the scandal at the 2026 World Cup — Фонтанка
- IOC will not consider imposing sanctions against Infantino — Вести
Key entities
- IOC
- Gianni Infantino
- USA
- FIFA
- Folarin Balogun
- The Athletic
- Moscow
- CM-2026
- International Olympic Committee
- Estadio Monumental
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