Sports
IOC asked to investigate FIFA president's role in Balogun reversal
June 27, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FBI Director Kash Patel in the stands before the match. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images The International Olympic Committee has received a complaint alleging FIFA president Gianni Infantino has repeatedly breached rules on political neutrality in his support of President Donald Trump.
FairSquare, a nonprofit organization and advocacy group, asked the IOC to investigate, among several instances, Infantino’s possible involvement in the suspension of a one-game ban for striker Folarin Balogun, enabling him to play for the United States in a round of 16 match on July 6 against Belgium.
Infantino acknowledged receiving a call from Trump, who publicly lobbied for Balogun to play, but the FIFA president said he did not interfere with the decision-making process.
Balogun played as the USMNT was eliminated 4-1 by Belgium. He had received a direct red card in the 64th minute of a July 1 match for a foul on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic. The U.S. went on to win 2-0 with 10 men in the round of 32, and Balogun was suspended for the next game.
A red card or suspension cannot be appealed. FIFA, however, posted this message without further explanation to its website on July 5 about its use of the rule book in the case: “By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year.”
“All I did was ask for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said on the day of the game against Belgium. “And, you know, again, I’m good at this stuff. I didn’t think it was a foul. I thought it was two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled.
“I think they made a really brilliant decision. I think the referee’s call was horrible and nobody talks about that. They talk about the red card like it’s fine, nobody talks the referee’s decision to red card.”
Infantino said FIFA’s judicial committees act autonomously in a statement on his behalf on FIFA’s website.
“Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected,” the statement read.
FairSquare, in its complaint, is questioning the credibility and integrity of Infantino, who also became an IOC member in 2020. The organization said he “is obliged to adhere to strict rules on political neutrality in the Olympic Charter and the IOC Code of Ethics, adding that the IOC can expel members who don’t fulfill these obligations.
“As outlined in the FairSquare complaint, there is compelling evidence that Infantino has committed five clear breaches of IOC rules on political neutrality through statements or other clear expressions of support for the US President,” FairSquare posted on its website.
One “serious breach” in the complaint was the Balogun situation with Infantino possibly giving in to pressure from Trump. Another was Infantino promoting a FIFA fan site for the 2026 World Cup, “which appears to have been part of a data-harvesting campaign run by entities linked to President Trump,” FairSquare wrote.
Another alleged breach was Infantino’s supportive post on his Instagram account after attending an event linked to Trump’s presidential inauguration in January 2025.
Infantino also publicly endorsed Trump for the Nobel Prize in October 2025, and he made more supportive comments in November. In December, Infantino presented Trump with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize at the World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center.
FairSquare also made a complaint to FIFA’s ethics committee in December, which was supported by the Norwegian football federation as well as 50 members of the European Parliament in a separate writing on June 29.
The IOC and FIFA did not respond to requests for comment from multiple media outlets.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bryson DeChambeau to debut set of 3D-printed irons at The Open
Jul 13, 2026; Southport, England; Bryson DeChambeau on the practice range during a practice round for The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bryson DeChambeau will bring the latest in technology to a 137-year-old golf course this week, and into a major tournament that is even older.
DeChambeau is set to debut a full set of 3D-printed irons for 154th Open Championship, which starts Thursday at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, Front Office Sports reported Tuesday.
DeChambeau has used single 3D-printed clubs in the past, playing in this year’s Masters with a 5-iron built under computer control. According to the report, DeChambeau said the full set of irons was recently approved by the United States Golf Association.
A two-time U.S. Open winner (2020, 2024), DeChambeau did not make the cut in any of the three major tournaments already played this year. That comes after he had top-10 finishes at last year’s Masters, PGA Championship and Open Championship.
Currently a member of LIV Golf, DeChambeau won tournaments in Singapore and South Africa in back-to-back weeks in March.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Wizards shut down No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa for rest of Summer League
Jun 25, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards first round draft pick and number one overall pick AJ Dybantsa poses for a photo with his jersey during a press conference at InterContinental Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images The Washington Wizards decided they had seen enough from the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and shut down forward AJ Dybantsa for the rest of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, The Athletic reported Tuesday.
Dybantsa played two games in a Wizards uniform, averaging 25.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists. The 19-year-old was the top pick out of BYU.
The Wizards also shut down second-year players Will Riley and Tre Johnson, who have also been productive. Riley averaged 25.0 points in two games and Johnson scored 26 points in the one he played.
The Wizards’ summer league players had five days of camp in Washington, D.C. before departing for Las Vegas.
The Wizards have not won more than 18 games in any of the past three seasons. Washington last made the playoffs in 2020-21 and last won a playoff series in 2016-17 when they advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Spain blank favored France to advance to World Cup final
July 14, 2026; Arlington, Texas, U.S.; Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal and Unai Simon in action. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Spain are headed back to the World Cup final for the second time after denying France a third straight appearance with a 2-0 victory in a semifinal on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.
Pedro Porro followed Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty in the 22nd minute by doubling the count in the 58th.
Spain, the 2010 champion, will play in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sunday against the winner of the reigning champion Argentina-England match in Atlanta on Wednesday.
France will play in the third-place match in Miami on Saturday.
Spain have a 37-match unbeaten streak (30 wins, seven draws), tying Italy’s European record.
The best chance for France came in the 82nd minute when Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon raced midway between the penalty area and the center circle to challenge Desire Doue for the ball.
Doue got to it but Simon ran back and cut the angle to make a save inside the box as two Spain defenders guarded the goal line. Simon (three saves) is the first men’s keeper to have six shutouts in a single World Cup.
Oyarzabal’s penalty in the 22nd minute put Spain ahead.
France trailed for the first time in the tournament when Oyarzabal scored his fifth goal of the World Cup with a shot to the upper right corner.
Lamine Yamal, a day after his 19th birthday, drew a foul by Lucas Digne on the right side of the box.
A long cross by Marc Cucurella was popped in the air by Digne. As he attempted a volley, Yamal snuck in behind him and as the ball hit his left shoulder, Digne kicked him in the left thigh, prompting Yamal to fall.
More misfortune befell France at the half-hour mark when veteran defender William Saliba left with an injury and was replaced by Max Lacroix, whose only action in the tournament was 90 minutes in the group finale vs. Norway.
Nearing 40 minutes in, Yamal set up an onrushing Fabian Ruiz but defender Dayot Upamecano was able to get a foot on the attempt to deflect the ball for a corner kick.
France were seeking to become the third nation to qualify for three straight finals, joining West Germany (1982, 1986 and 1990) and Brazil (1994, 1998 and 2002).
The French won the World Cup in 2018 and were runners-up to Argentina in 2022.
–Field Level Media
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Bryson DeChambeau to debut set of 3D-printed irons at The Open
