United States President Donald Trump has confirmed he personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to 'review' USA striker Folarin Balogun's red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the World Cup, which was controversially overturned. Balogun was sent off after VAR reviewed a challenge he made in the last-32 match against Bosnia, and his red card was due to lead to an automatic ban for the United States' last-16 tie against Belgium on Monday. However, in an unprecedented move, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee announced on Sunday it would suspend Balogun's one-match ban by a probationary period of one year, allowing him to play against Belgium.
Trump's Intervention
Speaking for the first time about the incident, Trump branded Brazilian referee Raphael Claus as 'very suspect' and revealed that he personally asked Infantino to overturn the decision. 'I spoke to Gianni, who's highly respected,' Trump said at the Oval Office on Monday. 'I saw the play and I'm a person that loves sports and was a good athlete, and I understand sports really well, really well and that wasn't a foul, that wasn't even an infraction, that was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other.'
Trump continued: 'These were two great athletes that got tangled up and this referee, who is a little bit suspect, if you check his past. I don't want to say that, because I don't like to create controversy, but very suspect. He made a call that nobody could believe. He [Balogun] didn't do anything wrong and he's our best player, or one of our best players… and he [the referee] gave him a red card. It's very unfair, you can't do that. So, yes, I asked for a review by FIFA. I spoke to a man who's highly respected [Infantino] and by the way, whose level of respect has gone up tenfold.'
Impact on the World Cup
The overturning of Balogun's red card has sparked widespread debate about political interference in football governance. The USA faced Belgium in the round of 16, and Balogun's availability was seen as crucial for the team's chances. Trump's admission raises questions about the independence of FIFA's disciplinary processes and the influence of high-ranking officials on sporting decisions. The incident has drawn comparisons to past controversies involving political figures intervening in sports, but the direct involvement of a sitting US president is unprecedented. FIFA has not commented further on the matter, and Infantino has yet to respond publicly to Trump's remarks.
