Toronto Councillor Michael Thompson steps down from FIFA committee as sexual assault trial continues

Toronto City Councillor Michael Thompson (Scarborough Centre) has quit the FIFA committee.

Mayor Olivia Chow’s office confirmed Thompson’s resignation in a statement, saying the 64-year-old stepped away on Oct. 16.

Global News was the first to report on the news.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) charged the Scarborough Centre councillor with two counts of sexual assault in Oct. 2022. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. 

Earlier this month, a court in Bracebridge, Ont. began to hear testimony in Thompson’s sexual assault trial stemming from the alleged incident in Muksoka, Ont.

In the trial so far, one of the complainants has said she was allegedly massaged inappropriately by Thompson after first meeting him at an art show in Toronto.

In March, Mayor Chow formalized the FIFA committee to ensure Toronto walked away from the FIFA World Cup in 2026 with financial stability. Canada, co-hosting the event alongside Mexico and the U.S., will stage 10 opening-round games — split evenly between Vancouver and Toronto.

The 64-year-old is a long-time Toronto politician who has served on numerous committees and boards. He was the chair of the economic and community development committee, a member of Mayor John Tory’s executive committee, and one of Tory’s ceremonial deputy mayors.

According to the City of Toronto, if any councillor is convicted of an offence and serves jail time, “[the] Member of Council is disqualified from holding office.”