Infantino defends FIFA judicial independence, admits Trump called over Balogun case

Seattle, July 7 (IANS) FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump had called him regarding the disciplinary case involving the U.S. striker Folarin Balogun, but stressed that the decision to suspend the enforcement of the player’s one-match ban was made independently by FIFA’s judicial bodies.

Balogun was sent off for stamping on defender Tarik Muharemovic during the U.S. 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup round of 32 on July 1.

Last Sunday, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee imposed a one-match suspension on Balogun but suspended the enforcement of the sanction for a one-year probationary period – under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, allowing the U.S. leading scorer to remain eligible for Monday’s round-of-16 clash against Belgium.

The ruling drew strong criticism from the Belgian Football Association, which issued statements expressing “astonishment” at the decision. European football governing body UEFA also condemned the ruling, saying it had “crossed a red line” and could have negative consequences for the game as a whole.

Responding to the criticism, Infantino reiterated the independence of FIFA’s judicial bodies.

“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.”

Infantino also confirmed that Trump had contacted him about the case. “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,” he said.

“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.”

Infantino said he respected the autonomy of FIFA’s judicial bodies regardless of his personal views on their decisions.

“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,” 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.”

Trump had previously acknowledged in an interview that he had called Infantino and urged FIFA to review Balogun’s red card decision.

According to sports statistics provider Opta, no player has ever appeared in his team’s next FIFA World Cup match after receiving a red card since the introduction of the yellow and red card system in 1970.

Should Balogun take the field against Belgium on Monday in Seattle, he would become the first player in World Cup history to do so.

–IANS

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