Sepp Blatter has taken aim at FIFA over its decision to suspend a ban on Folarin Balogun, following reports that Donald Trump personally telephoned the governing body. The former FIFA president has rounded on his successor Gianni Infantino amid claims that the United States president stepped in to influence the outcome.
Balogun is now free to feature for the US in their round-of-16 showdown against Belgium, despite the forward facing an automatic one-match suspension following his dismissal in their victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Before receiving his red card, Balogun had netted the opener in that 2-0 win, and remains the only American player to have scored more than once at this tournament, having also bagged a brace in the opening fixture against Paraguay.
Blatter took to X on Monday (formerly Twitter), writing: “Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President – and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match – the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis, FIFA?” Quo vadis means ‘Where are you going?’ in Latin.
“Football must never become a playground for political power. #FIFA #WorldCup #GianniInfantino #DonaldTrump”.
FIFA confirmed the ruling on Sunday, with their Disciplinary Committee stating: “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. 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 took to Truth Social to respond to the U-turn, declaring: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”
Article 27 of FIFA’s disciplinary code states: “The judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure. By suspending the implementation of the sanction, the judicial body subjects the person sanctioned to a probationary period of one to four years.
“If the person benefiting from a suspended sanction commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked by the judicial body and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”