IOC to investigate FIFA president Infantino following meeting with Trump
Following FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s participation in U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace launch, IOC president Kirsty Coventry stated on Friday that the Olympic organization will “investigate” his actions.
Infantino and Coventry are among the current 107 members of the International Olympic Committee who are obligated by an oath “to always act independently of … political interests.”
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Trump hosted the peace board event on Thursday in Washington, D.C., where Infantino signed a partnership on behalf of the international soccer governing body, potentially leading to a $75 million investment in soccer funds for Gaza.
In preparation for the 2026 World Cup, Infantino has closely aligned FIFA with the U.S. government, including attending Trump’s inauguration last year and making several visits to the White House and Mar-a-Lago. The U.S. will cohost the 104-game tournament with Canada and Mexico, commencing on June 11.
“The Olympic Charter is very explicit about what it expects from its members, and we will investigate the alleged signing of documents, I suppose,” Coventry remarked at her final news conference at the Milan Cortina Winter Games, noting she had not been aware of Infantino being “front and center” at the peace board event.
“Now that you have brought this to our attention,” she responded after a follow-up question on the topic, “we will return and examine it.”
The IOC’s membership, which is required to maintain political neutrality, includes the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the U.S., Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud.
It also features Erick Thohir, the sports minister of Indonesia, which the IOC advised last year should not be permitted to host international sports events after it denied Israeli athletes the opportunity to compete at the gymnastics world championships.
Coventry previously served as sports minister in Zimbabwe’s government until she was elected in March as the IOC’s first female president.
