White House issues statement after Trump intervened on controversial red card decision
The White House has confirmed Donald Trump spoke to FIFA President Gianni Infantino before the controversial decision was made to suspend a ban on US striker Folarin Balogun.
"The President and Infantino did speak, and the President wanted to better understand the reason why a red card was given and why there was a suspension," the White House said in a statement provided to UNILAD.
"The appeal process is run by an independent board.
"The U.S. government provided additional evidence that was used in the appeal process.
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"Ultimately the correct and proper outcome was achieved."
Balogun has been the star player for the US during this World Cup so far, though he was shown a straight red card in his team's last-32 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Typical FIFA rules would see the forward banned for the US' next game, a round-of-16 tie against Belgium. However, FIFA confirmed on Sunday (July 5) that the ban had been suspended for a year.
In a statement, the governing body wrote: "In line with article 27 of the Fifa disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year.
"If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement."
Trump was quick to thank FIFA for overturning the ban, with the president penning on Truth Social: "Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”
The president has even been speaking about it in the Oval Office on Monday (July 6), where he confirmed he'd been in contact with Infantino.
Trump called the referee who gave the red card 'very suspect' and claimed the red card 'wasn't a foul, [which was] very unfair'.
He also confirmed that he asked the FIFA president for a 'review', while the president also took a jibe at Joe Biden.
"Yes, I asked for a review by FIFA," Trump said.
"I spoke to a man [Infantino] who is highly respected. I'm the one who got them to do it [the World Cup], not Biden. Biden was asleep."
After it was announced Balogun's ban had been suspended, UEFA released a statement claiming the move 'crossed a red line'.
They said: "Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case, not.
"A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted.
"It is a principle embedded in regulations, which cannot be made subject to exceptions, let alone in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation and regularly served their suspension."
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, World Cup, Football, Sport
Callum Jones