Controversy over a red card issued to the United States’s Folarin Balogun has taken a political turn after President Donald Trump said he called the President of FIFA before the suspension was overturned, allowing Balogun to return for the team's match against Belgium.
Balogun, one of America’s leading scorers, received a straight red card during the team's match against Bosnia and Herzegovina last week after officials ruled one of his challenges as serious foul play. The decision, which initially sidelined him for the knockout round, drew widespread criticism from both the referee and FIFA's disciplinary process.
On Monday, Trump, who received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize last year, spoke publicly about his conversation with President Gianni Infantino. Trump said he “didn’t know what the hell a red card was,” but that he was sure the call “wasn’t a foul.”
“That wasn't even an infraction ... this referee, who is a little bit suspect if you check his past. He made a call that nobody could believe,” Trump said. “[Balogun] is our best player, or one of our best players. And he gave him a red card."
Although the U.S. lost to Belgium Monday evening, some blamed the loss on bad luck brought on by Trump’s involvement. But others, like Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), expressed gratitude for the president’s intervention.
“And on behalf of all Americans, thank you for getting rid of that ridiculous red card,” Sen. Cruz said. “It was spectacular. There was a reason the FIFA trophy sat here for as long as it did.”
Since the recall of the red card, other countries have moved to make similar appeals. Belgium, though denied, even formally challenged FIFA’s decision in an appeal ahead of its match against the United States.
FIFA President Infantino also spoke out on Monday, defending FIFA’s decision to suspend the red card and stating he regularly calls the president to discuss World Cup matters.
“I did receive a call from President Donald Trump,” Infantino said in a statement. “Just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues.”
Infantino said he explained to Trump that the case would be handled through FIFA's independent disciplinary process, which he has no involvement in.
“I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued,” he said. “Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree.”
Infantino stressed that the committee’s independence, like for any judicial body, would not be violated under any circumstances.
“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,” Infantino said.
