FIFA faces criticism after lifting Balogun suspension

FIFA’s decision to clear U.S. striker Folarin Balogun to play against Belgium on Monday has triggered sharp criticism from European soccer officials, Belgian authorities and prominent former players, with questions growing over whether political pressure influenced the ruling.

Balogun, the leading scorer for the U.S. men’s national team, had faced an automatic one-match suspension after receiving a red card. FIFA lifted the ban, allowing the 25-year-old forward to be available for the World Cup match against Belgium.

CBS News reported that sources familiar with the matter said Balogun’s reinstatement came after President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Thursday and discussed the suspension. The Guardian reported that Trump repeatedly lobbied FIFA, with sources saying he made three calls beginning Wednesday after Balogun was sent off in the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

CBS News also reported that Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup task force, spoke to Infantino about the situation, and that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was in communication with FIFA. Spokespeople for the White House, Lutnick and Giuliani did not immediately respond to CBS News’ requests for comment.

UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, accused FIFA of crossing “a red line” and called the decision “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.”

“Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition,” UEFA said. “Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not.”

UEFA said a minimum one-match suspension after a red card is automatic and “not a discretionary option,” adding that other players in the tournament had served suspensions in similar circumstances.

“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 said.

The Royal Belgian Football Association said it was “astonished” by the decision and said it contradicted FIFA’s own rules. The Guardian reported that Belgium has been granted an appeal but has not received detailed reasons for the suspension being overturned, beyond a reference to Article 27 of FIFA’s disciplinary code, which allows its judicial committee to “fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.” The Guardian said the Belgian federation has effectively submitted its appeal without that reasoning and is exploring legal action against FIFA, which it claims broke its own statutes.

Belgium manager Rudi Garcia compared the decision to an April Fools’ Day joke, The Guardian reported. Belgium’s foreign minister, Maxime Prévot, a former referee, said: “If a phone call is really the reason for this incomprehensible decision, it would be a blatant violation of the most basic rules of football and sport.”

European Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef also criticized the move. “Decisions on sporting rules and sporting matters belong to sporting bodies, not politicians,” he said. “Influencing sporting decisions would undermine the autonomy of sport.”

In London, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said World Cup disciplinary decisions are “a matter for the football World Cup governing body and should stay that way,” adding that Starmer “supports the integrity of competition in all sports.”

Former England and Manchester United player Wayne Rooney called the decision an “absolute disgrace.” Speaking to the BBC, he said, “Infantino should be ashamed of this because I think the sportsmanship of the game is in question here.” Former England player Gary Neville told ITV Sports the decision “absolutely stinks,” adding: “There should be a review process in place.”

U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino supported FIFA’s decision and said the original red card, issued by Brazilian referee Raphael Claus after Balogun made contact with Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic, was harsh.

“Everyone that really loves the sport and trusts ethics and integrity, I think we celebrate all that decision,” Pochettino said. “We were punished enough against Bosnia Herzegovina to play with 10 men for 30 minutes [because of] a decision that was completely unfair … 99.9% of people agree there was an unfair red card.”