FIFA presented its newly created FIFA Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump on December 5 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino awarding Trump a trophy, a medal and a certificate. FIFA said the annual accolade recognizes those who have taken "exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world," but FIFA has not explained the selection process for the inaugural winner. Trump and Infantino have cultivated a visible rapport this year, including meetings at Trump’s inauguration and the Sharm El-Sheikh peace summit, and Infantino publicly supported Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize bid. The day after the award, President Trump called Infantino to urge a review of US striker Folarin Balogun’s one-game red card suspension. FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee then suspended Balogun’s ban and placed it on probation for one year, allowing the striker to play against Belgium. Human rights and governance groups criticized the award and the close ties, with FairSquare director Nick McGeehan saying Infantino’s alignment with Trump harms FIFA’s integrity and Human Rights Watch director Minky Worden saying her organization sought clarification from FIFA about the prize process.
Key Highlights
FIFA presented its inaugural Peace Prize to Donald Trump on December 5 in Washington, DC.
Trump phoned FIFA president Gianni Infantino to urge review of Folarin Balogun’s red card.
FIFA suspended Balogun’s one-game ban on probation for one year, enabling him to play.