KUALA LUMPUR: The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has come under heavy criticism from various quarters after its President, Gianni Infantino, awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to United States President Donald Trump.
The move is seen as inconsistent with FIFA’s long-standing stance of imposing fines and suspensions on footballers who display political messages, claiming neutrality on political issues.
According to a report by Sinar Harian, many have condemned the timing of the award, given less than 24 hours after the Trump administration launched airstrikes in the Caribbean that reportedly resulted in casualties.
Former United Nations official Craig Mokhiber described the award as deeply embarrassing. Mokhiber, a vocal campaigner for Israel’s suspension from world football following the war in Gaza, accused Infantino of hypocrisy.
"Not content with two years of complicity in genocide in Palestine, Infantino and his cronies have now created a new 'peace prize' to win favour with Donald Trump," Mokhiber told Al Jazeera.
He added that the award appeared to whitewash Trump’s poor record, including military support for Israel and human rights violations within the US.
FIFA’s decision was also widely mocked on social media.
Football journalist Zach Lowy wrote, "Giving Donald Trump a peace prize is like giving Luis Suarez an award for not biting ears," referencing the Uruguayan striker’s infamous past incident.
Human rights critics, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), also condemned the award, stating that Trump’s administration had a dire human rights record which did not reflect extraordinary actions for peace and unity.
