International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Kirsty Coventry on Friday said that she was unaware that FIFA president Gianni Infantino had attended the first meeting of the “Board of Peace” alongside US President Donald Trump.
Infantino, who is also a member of the IOC, on Thursday took part in a meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington.
Infantino announced that his organization would spearhead a US$75 million fund to rebuild soccer facilities destroyed in Gaza during the war between Israel and Hamas.
Photo: Reuters
He appeared on stage wearing a red cap with “USA” on the front and the numbers 45-47, referring to the two non-consecutive presidencies of Trump.
“I wasn’t aware that we had an IOC member front and center as you just shared with me. So, I don’t really have much to say about it,” Coventry told a news conference at the Winter Olympics.
“Now that you guys made us aware of it, we will go back and have a look at it,” she said. “The IOC Charter is very clear what it expects of its members. We will go and research into the alleged signing of documents.”
The Olympic Charter says that members must “always act independently of commercial and political interests as well as of any racial or religious consideration.”
“I think from the IOC’s point of view, we will continue to be politically neutral,” Coventry said. “That’s the only way for us as an organization to ensure that we allow for there to be fairness on the field of play. That’s what we will continue to do as we walk into the future.”
Trump has struck up a close relationship with Infantino, with the US cohosting this year’s FIFA World Cup along with Mexico and Canada.
Infantino awarded Trump FIFA’s inaugural peace prize in December last year, saying at the time it was in recognition of the US president’s “exceptional and extraordinary” actions to promote peace and unity around the world.
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