IOC won’t investigate Infantino over Trump’s Balogun red card call

The International Olympic Committee announced Friday that it will not investigate Gianni Infantino regarding President Donald Trump’s call to him about Folarin Balogun’s controversial red card.

The USMNT star received a red card in the round of 32 of the World Cup, which initially made him ineligible to play in the next round.

However, FIFA decided to suspend the red card, which made Balogun eligible. Trump later said he called Infantino and asked for a review, but FIFA claimed it was not influenced by Trump.

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President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino hold the FIFA World Cup winner’s trophy before handing it over to Spain captain Rodri at the award ceremony following the FIFA World Cup 2026 final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

The ruling added to what was already a huge controversy, as it was argued Balogun should not have been red-carded in the first place. Nonetheless, Balogun was active despite an appeal and a strong reaction from Belgium.

A London-based NGO formally complained this month to the IOC ethics commission about Infantino. The IOC’s Olympic Charter cites neutrality among “fundamental principles of Olympism” for sports bodies like FIFA and its 100-plus members, which have included Infantino since 2020.

No formal investigation will be opened, the IOC said, because the complaint by the rights group FairSquare did not relate to FIFA’s or Infantino’s specific relations with the Olympic body.

The complaint “refers only to (FIFA’s) decisions on its governance and its management, including its relations with government, and to (FIFA’s) implementation of the rules of its sport,” the IOC said in a statement.

President Donald Trump speaks alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino at a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York City on July 17, 2026. Later that weekend, Trump will attend the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

FOLARIN BALOGUN ADMITS THAT RED-CARD REVERSAL AFFECTED USA WORLD CUP TEAMMATES: ‘A LOT OF OUTSIDE NOISE’

“Consequently, the complaint falls outside the IOC ethics commission’s jurisdiction,” the statement continued.

“All I did was, I asked for a review, because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said at the time. “And again, I’m good at this stuff. I didn’t think it was a foul. I thought it was two great athletes who crashed into each other and got entangled. That was not a guy punching somebody in the face or anything, that would be different.

“I think it’s a terrible… if they wouldn’t allow a top player, maybe the best, maybe among the best on the team, to play, I think it would have had a big stain. I relayed it. I didn’t tell him what to do. I don’t believe he made the decision. I think it was a committee that made the decision, and they made the right decision because, No. 1, it wasn’t a foul, and you want to see a game with your best players.”

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 final match with FIFA President Gianni Infantino at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 13, 2025. (Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)

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Balogun being active did not help, as the U.S. lost to Belgium, 4-1.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.