FIFA president Gianni Infantino has released a statement on Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension, admitting he did receive a call from US president Donald Trump, but insisted the decision came from FIFA Disciplinary Committee.
On Sunday, FIFA announced Balogun’s red card from their win over Bosnia & Herzegovina had been suspended – which has sent shockwaves through the international football fraternity.
As a consequence, the USA striker will be able to play in the Last 16 clash against Belgium, Tuesday morning 2AM SAST, with the Belgium Federation announcing they will play the match under protest.
While Trump had labelled the match official “very suspect” and admitted he called Infantino to request a review, Infanino insisted the decision came from FIFA’s independent DC and not him.
“I have seen the public comments regarding the decision of the independent FIFA Disciplinary Committee related to the suspension of Folarin Balogun, and I would like to reiterate a fundamental principle of FIFA’s governance.
“FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them. Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.
“Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues.
“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. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.
“I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree.
“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.”