IOC Investigates FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s Attendance at Trump’s Peace Board Event

Following FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s participation in U.S. President Donald Trump’s launch of the Board of Peace, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is set to scrutinize his actions, according to IOC President Kirsty Coventry. This development was announced on Friday, as Coventry addressed the issue during her final press conference at the Milan Cortina Winter Games.

Infantino, along with Coventry, is one of the 107 active members of the IOC who have pledged to uphold the principle of acting independently from political influences. The recent event, hosted by Trump in Washington, D.C., saw Infantino signing a partnership agreement on behalf of FIFA, the global governing body of soccer. This agreement could potentially channel $75 million into soccer-related projects in Gaza.

Infantino’s close ties with the U.S. administration have been evident, notably as the 2026 World Cup approaches. This tournament, set to kick off on June 11, will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Infantino has previously attended Trump’s inauguration and has made several visits to the White House and Mar-a-Lago.

Kirsty Coventry expressed her surprise at Infantino’s prominent role during the peace board event. “The Olympic Charter is very clear on what it expects of its members and we will investigate the alleged signing of documents,” she stated. Coventry acknowledged that she was unaware of Infantino’s involvement until questions were raised, prompting her commitment to look into the matter further.

“Now that this has been brought to our attention, we will review the situation,” Coventry affirmed, responding to inquiries about the implications of Infantino’s actions in relation to the IOC’s standards and regulations.

“Now that you guys have made us aware of it,” she said after a second question on the subject, “we will go back and we’ll have a look into it.”

The IOC’s membership, which is bound to 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 includes Erick Thohir, the sports minister of Indonesia, which the IOC advised last year should not be allowed to host international sports events after refusing to let Israelis compete at the gymnastics world championships.

Coventry was herself sports minister in Zimbabwe’s government until winning election in March as the IOC’s first female president.