FIFA president Gianni Infantino is alleged to have intervened to suspend Folarin Balogun’s World Cup red-card ban after a telephone conversation with Donald Trump.
A report claims Infantino told the US president on July 1 that he would “take care of it”, adding: “One call and it was done.” The FIFA disciplinary committee subsequently suspended the striker’s ban, clearing him to play in the United States’ last-16 tie against Belgium.
FIFA has not commented on the latest allegation. It has instead referred to a statement issued by Infantino in July, in which he insisted that the decision had been taken independently by the organisation’s judicial bodies.
FIFA’s response to the Balogun allegation
Balogun had been sent off during the USA’s victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. FIFA regulations state that red cards can be appealed only in cases of mistaken identity or where a player is facing a suspension covering multiple matches.
Trump later confirmed that he had asked Infantino to “review” the dismissal, while denying that he had ordered a particular outcome.
“All I did was ask for a review. I didn’t say, you have to do this,” Trump said. He described Infantino as “a smart, tough man” and added: “I feel like we have to have all the best players on the field.”
Infantino said he regularly discussed World Cup matters with the US president, as well as with government officials, football stakeholders and business leaders around the world.
“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies,” he said.
“What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant. Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and the credibility of FIFA at all times.”
Despite Balogun being made available, the United States were beaten 4-1 by Belgium and went out of the World Cup.
Jesse Marsch, the US-born Canada coach, criticised the decision at the time, saying: “What I feel when the Balogun ruling happens is that would never happen in any other country in the world, and this is why everyone around the world hates America.”
Pressure on Gianni Infantino
The latest claims come as Infantino faces renewed scrutiny ahead of a FIFA Council meeting in Switzerland. A proposed change to the disciplinary code would prevent legal panels from suspending automatic one-match bans for red cards.
A source cited in the report said the proposal was merely being put forward for discussion and was not an emergency attempt to change the rules or an admission of wrongdoing over the Balogun case.
Infantino has faced criticism over several controversies during the past year. In December, he awarded Trump FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize, while the pair were also mocked after jointly handing the World Cup trophy to Spain.
Plans to sell a stake in the World Cup to private-equity investors, including Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, were later abandoned after opposition from within football.
Former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega has announced that he intends to challenge Infantino in next year’s FIFA presidential election. Infantino is seeking a fourth consecutive term, although three confederations rejected his proposed plans, with UEFA saying it had lost confidence in him and threatening to boycott future World Cups.
