'Wasn't even an infraction': Trump says he asked FIFA chief Infantino to 'review' Balogun's red card

President Donald Trump has confirmed he played a role in FIFA's decision to overturn the one-match ban imposed on Folarin Balogun following his red card in the United States' Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. "I saw the play. And that wasn't a foul. That was two guys running full speed who happened to crash into each other. 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 controversies," he said.

The 80-year-old said he called FIFA President Gianni Infantino and merely asked for a review of the decision banning Balogun from Monday's Round of 16 game against Belgium. This prompted FIFA to overturn the decision on Sunday, clearing the way for Balogun to play—a move many have questioned, while Trump called it "brilliant." It is perhaps the first time since 1962 that a World Cup red card didn't result in a suspension, according to the Associated Press.

President Trump insisted he didn't direct Infantino to change the decision. "I can't tell him what to do. I don't believe he made the decision. I think it was a committee that made the decision, and they made the right decision. You want to see a game with your best players. If we lose, it's fair. Otherwise, let's say we lost him and we lose the game—it would be a terrible thing," he told reporters on the sidelines of the launch of Trump Accounts—a federal savings and investment program giving children a stake in the U.S. economy from birth.

In an unusual move, Trump trained his sights on the referee, Brazil's Raphael Claus, calling it a "horrible" decision. "Nobody talks about that. They talk about the red card like it's fine. This guy hands up—okay, your best player is not going to play next week or in the next game. That's a lot of power. But then I looked at his past, and it wasn't so great," he said, without elaborating on what he was referring to. Claus is a seasoned World Cup campaigner who officiated two group-stage matches in the 2022 edition in Qatar, Fox Sports reported.

FIFA decision 'crossed a red line': UEFA 

The decision has not gone down well with the footballing community across the world, who say it impugns the integrity of the game and its governing body, with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) saying it crossed a "red line" in its official statement. "Football, like any other sport, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest, and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case, not," it said.

UEFA also clarified that 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 added: "...such a decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition. We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unjustifiable decision."

Infantino distanced himself from the insinuation that he had a role to play in the case. "I would like to reiterate a fundamental principle of FIFA's governance. FIFA's judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them. Their independence is essential, and this must always be respected," he said.

The 56-year-old acknowledged the call from Trump, saying he receives calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders, and business executives from around the world all the time. "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," he said.

Belgium vows to fight FIFA decision

Meanwhile, Belgium said it had no alternative but to challenge Balogun's availability on Monday. The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) sent a letter to FIFA requesting a copy of the decision and an explanation of the process. FIFA responded by treating the RBFA's correspondence as an appeal, informing the association that a judge had been appointed and that it had only a few hours to complete that appeal. "FIFA provided no information," it said in an official release.

Belgium's football governing body contended that, as per FIFA's regulations, a reasoned decision must first be communicated to the appellant for an appeal to be admissible. "While the RBFA was merely seeking legitimate explanations, FIFA itself created an appeal and immediately ensured that it would be declared inadmissible. Furthermore, during the match coordination meeting, FIFA deliberately removed the section concerning the automatic suspension of players from its presentation," it said.

The RBFA added that the topic had been part of all such meetings before each of the previous four matches. "Regardless of the sporting outcome of this match, the RBFA is deeply concerned by the course of events and will continue to fight in the coming hours, days and months in defence of the fundamental principles of ethics, fair competition, and the interests of football as a whole," it said.