More than 50 members of the European Parliament have signed a letter demanding an ethics investigation into FIFA president Gianni Infantino over his decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump. The letter, seen by the Mirror, backs an official complaint first submitted by the London-based non-governmental organisation FairSquare, which alleges that Infantino violated FIFA's Ethics Code by breaching political neutrality.
MEPs and Norwegian Federation Join Complaint
The complaint has also gained support from the Norwegian Football Federation, as a coalition against Infantino grows. MEP Barry Andrews from the Republic of Ireland told the Mirror: “The World Cup is arguably the biggest global event of any kind. It is supposed to unite the world. Yet when FIFA president Gianni Infantino favours one President over another, this brings FIFA and the whole tournament into disrepute.”
Infantino and FIFA faced global backlash after awarding the Peace Prize to Trump at the World Cup draw in Washington D.C. in December. Infantino stated at the time: “You can always count on my support.” Trump responded by calling the award “truly one of the great honours of my life.”
Alleged Breach of Political Neutrality
The complaint alleges that Infantino repeatedly broke his duty of political neutrality, which is enshrined in the FIFA Ethics Code and binding for all football officials. Andrews elaborated: “Our request in this letter is simple. We are merely asking for the FIFA Ethics Committee to fully investigate the awarding of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to President Trump, and to ensure that due process is done. With the eyes of the world on FIFA and Infantino this summer, a proper investigation is the only way to ensure that the organisation fully upholds the core values of fairness, equality, and respect for human dignity.”
Andrews added: “If FIFA is truly committed to political neutrality, transparency and accountability, here is no better chance to prove it.” FairSquare is an NGO that advocates for good governance in sport.
Infantino's Climate Controversy
Infantino has also faced criticism for his travel during the World Cup. He flew 31,000 miles between matches in a fortnight, taking 27 flights between cities across co-hosts US, Mexico, and Canada to watch 24 games. This came after he pledged to cut climate-crippling emissions in FIFA's sustainability strategy, where he said: “Whether we speak about climate, human rights, diseases or disabilities, we are committed to play our part.”
BBC investigators who tracked the flightpaths of a private jet linked to FIFA and Infantino reported that the climate impact of his travel in a fortnight was equivalent to that of 78 people over a year. Infantino attended two matches a day several times during the group stage, often in cities hundreds of miles apart, and on some days took three separate flights.
