​FIFA is facing criticism for lifting the red card suspension of leading U.S. Men’s National Team scorer Folarin Balogun, allowing him to play against Belgium on Monday. The Union of European Football Associations said FIFA “crossed a red line” and voiced disbelief at a decision it called “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.” “When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined,” UEFA stated, adding that soccer is the most loved sport in the world because it is played everywhere under the same laws.
Sources familiar with the matter told CBS News that Balogun’s reinstatement followed a call from President Trump to FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Thursday, discussing the suspension that would have prevented the 25-year-old striker from taking part in the round-of-16 World Cup match. On Monday, Mr. Trump said he requested a review by FIFA “because I didn’t think it was a foul.” “When they take your best player, or just about, they have some great players … and they say you can’t play, that’s very unfair,” the president remarked in the Oval Office. “If they wouldn’t allow a top player, maybe among the best on the team, I think it would have left a big stain,” he added. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup task force, also spoke with Infantino about the situation, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick was in contact with FIFA. Spokespeople for the White House, Lutnick, and Giuliani did not immediately respond to CBS News’ requests for comment.
The Royal Belgian Football Association, whose national team will face the U.S. on Monday, said it was “astonished” by FIFA’s decision and claimed it contradicted FIFA’s own rules. “We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision,” the Belgian body said in a statement. Prominent British commentators have voiced similar condemnation. Wayne Rooney, a former Manchester United and England star, called the decision an “absolute disgrace” and urged Infantino to be ashamed, arguing that the sportsmanship of the game is at stake. Gary Neville also criticized the ruling, saying it “absolutely stinks” and that there should be a review process in place. “Are we surprised? No, not with this lot,” he added.
The European Union’s Commissioner for Sport said he also believed the decision was the wrong one, noting that sporting decisions should be made by sporting bodies, not politicians, as political influence could undermine the autonomy of sport. Infantino, in a Monday statement, defended FIFA’s independence by highlighting that FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent, and reaffirmed that the decision was made through internal processes.