How to FIFA Breach Its Own Rules with the Trump Award?
The Award That Shocked the World
The world football body, FIFA, recently did something very surprising. It created a brand new award (FIFA Breach). It has called the FIFA Peace Prize.
The very first winner of this prize was US President Donald Trump. He received the award at the draw for the 2026 World Cup in Washington, D.C.
The head of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, gave the award. He praised the President for his “exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace.” The President called the award “one of the great honors of my life.”
But this moment immediately sparked a huge fight. A human rights group has filed a formal complaint. They say the award breaks FIFA’s own strict rules. They say the award is a clear violation of political neutrality.
The Rule: FIFA Must Stay Neutral FIFA Breach
The whole problem comes down to a simple rule. FIFA’s Code of Ethics demands that the organization and its leaders must be politically neutral. This is a very important rule for a global sports body.
Why must they be neutral?
- To Unite the Sport: Football has played everywhere. It should not take sides in politics. It should not favor one country or one leader over others.
- To Protect its Mission: FIFA’s job is to run football. Its mission is to be fair to all 211 member countries. Taking a political side makes this impossible.
The human rights group, FairSquare, says the award to a sitting political leader is, by itself, a clear breach of this duty. An award like this looks like strong support for the leader and his policies. This has what the rules are meant to stop.
More Than Just the Prize: The President’s Words
The complaint is about more than just the Peace Prize. It points to a close bond between the FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, and President Trump.
FairSquare says Mr. Infantino has broken the rules with four clear actions:
- Praise for Nobel: Mr. Infantino publicly said that President Trump “definitely deserves” the Nobel Peace Prize. He posted this on his social media.
- The Award Itself: Giving the prize to a sitting political leader is the second breach.
- The Speech: At the World Cup draw, Mr. Infantino made strong statements. He said, “This is what we want from a leader.” He promised the President he could “always count on my support.” This looks very much like a political endorsement.
- Past Support: The complaint also cites a past social media post. On the day of the President’s inauguration, Mr. Infantino posted support. He said, “Together we will make not only America great again, but also the entire world.”
These public comments have what the ethics rules have supposed to prevent. They show a clear alignment with a political figure.
A Question of Power and Process FIFA Breach
The complaint also hits at the way the prize has created. It asks if Mr. Infantino had the right to make the award alone.
- Who Decides? Under FIFA’s own rules, a major decision like creating a new prize should made by the FIFA Council. This is the main decision-making body.
- Abuse of Power: FairSquare says that if Mr. Infantino created the prize and chose the winner unilaterally (all by himself), it is an “egregious abuse of power.” This means it is a very bad use of his position.
The critics say the whole process looked like it has being “reverse-engineered.” This means the prize has created after the decision was made to give it to President Trump. This is not how a transparent organization should work. FIFA Breach
The Context: The 2026 World Cup
The close bond between the two presidents is happening at a key time. The United States is co-hosting the 2026 Men’s World Cup with Canada and Mexico. FIFA Breach
- Need for Support: FIFA needs strong support from the US government for the World Cup to be a massive success. The tournament is expected to earn more than $10 billion for FIFA. FIFA Breach
- Political Access: The close relationship gives Mr. Infantino special access to the US government. This access is very useful for solving problems like visas, security, and stadium issues for the World Cup. FIFA Breach
The critics say Mr. Infantino is risking FIFA’s neutrality to secure political favor. They believe he is putting money and convenience above the organization’s core values. FIFA Breach
The Possible Outcome FIFA Breach
The complaint has been filed with FIFA’s ethics committee. This committee is meant to investigate claims of rule-breaking.
If the committee finds that Mr. Infantino broke the rules, he could face a penalty. FIFA’s ethics code allows for a ban from football of up to two years for violating the duty of neutrality. FIFA Breach
The final result is not yet clear. FIFA has a history of major ethics problems. But the complaint shows that human rights groups are watching closely. They are demanding that the organization follows its own rules. The complaint is forcing FIFA to choose between its political ties and its ethical code. FIFA Breach
New FIFA Peace Prize
The awarding of the new FIFA Peace Prize to President Donald Trump has caused a serious crisis. A major group has accused FIFA President Gianni Infantino of breaching the duty of political neutrality. The core of the complaint is that the award and Mr. Infantino’s public words are a clear political endorsement. This act puts the entire transparency and governance of world football at risk. The pressure is now on the FIFA ethics committee to investigate and show that its rules still matter. FIFA Breach
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