FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s close relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump is no longer a secret. Now, more than 100,000 people have backed complaints alleging abuse of power and violations of FIFA’s political neutrality rules.
The allegations could create fresh pressure on Infantino as he seeks another term as president of world football’s governing body.
‘Reboot FIFA’ Campaign Expands
Ahead of the World Cup, a campaign called “Reboot FIFA” was launched to file what organizers described as the largest complaint in FIFA’s history over alleged administrative failures within the organization.
The campaign later expanded to include demands for the lifting of a ban imposed on Folarin Balogun, as well as concerns over the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, which was discontinued after the World Cup.
A formal complaint was submitted to FIFA’s Ethics Committee on Tuesday. In an accompanying letter, the organizers of Reboot FIFA and rights advocacy group FairSquare called on the committee to take appropriate action.
A similar complaint had been filed in December last year, but the FIFA Ethics Committee did not respond at the time. The complaint later received support from the Norwegian Football Federation and 50 members of the European Parliament.
Calls for Swift and Transparent Action
In its letter, FairSquare said the addition of more than 100,000 names to the call for accountability demonstrated the scale of public concern.
The organization said the Ethics Committee, as FIFA’s independent judicial body responsible for protecting the integrity and reputation of football, must not only take action but also ensure that its response is swift, transparent and decisive.
Reboot FIFA cited eight incidents as the basis for its complaint. FairSquare said the cases raise at least three serious concerns: alleged abuse of power by Infantino, a failure to uphold FIFA’s political neutrality, and potential breaches of his duties and obligations arising from his close relationship with President Trump.
Pressure Mounts Ahead of Re-election Bid
The allegations have emerged as Infantino prepares to seek another term as FIFA president. He is already facing criticism from several quarters.
Along with UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF have also criticized Infantino. UEFA has even raised the possibility of filing criminal complaints against him in the United States.
With the FIFA presidential election approaching, the latest allegations could intensify the debate over Infantino’s leadership and further increase scrutiny of his relationship with Trump.
