In a shocking move on Sunday, the U.S. men’s national team got word that striker Folarin Balogun would be available for Monday’s Round of 16 game against Belgium after his red card was overturned.
It was reported that President Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday and asked for the World Cup governing body to review Balogun’s ban. On Monday, Trump confirmed as much, taking credit for the reversal of the call: “All I did, I asked for a review, cause I didn’t think it was a foul,” he said.
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The president reiterated several times that he had merely suggested what should be done and hadn’t told the committee what should happen.
“I didn’t tell them what to do, I can’t tell them what to do. … I think it was a committee that made the decision, and they made the right decision.”
President Trump provided examples of what he thought would be similar instances, saying what would have happened if it had been Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or Harry Kane who had “bumped into someone” and not been allowed to play.
He added that it would have “stained this incredible championship” and that the teams deserve to have the best players possible. President Trump ended the response by calling into question the referee’s past, saying, “wasn’t so great,” but he didn’t elaborate on what he meant.
The president did talk about the decision to suspend the red card and what it means for Belgium’s approach to the game.
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“The people in Belgium — if they win the game, they can be very proud. If they would have won the game with the player missing, it would have been a different feeling. You can’t do that, and I’m very glad. All I did was ask for a review. I didn’t say, “You have to do this.”
Infantino also confirmed Monday that Trump had called him about the red card, but said he did not influence the decision because FIFA’s “FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously.”
“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,” Infantino said in a statement. “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.”
FIFA also denied Belgium’s appeal on Monday.
Balogun was expected to be suspended for the match after receiving a red card in the United States’ win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. The striker was trying to make a play for the ball against defender Tarik Muharemović, but was called for a foul that was reviewed.
Upon review, which when slowed down showed Balogun clearly stepping on the defender’s ankle, he was shown a red card and sent off early in the second half of the match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
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The red card came with an automatic one-game suspension, per Article 10.5 of FIFA’s World Cup rules. The Athletic also reported that after the match, multiple FIFA officials said teams were unable to appeal red cards or the resulting suspensions.
FIFA released a statement about the ruling. “By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year.”
