FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Monday justified the organization’s move to postpone U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s one-game suspension just before the World Cup match between the U.S. and Belgium.
In a statement shared on X, Infantino said, “FIFA’s judicial bodies operate independently. I review the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee upon their issuance. While I sometimes find these decisions surprising, agreeable, or disagreeable, I consistently respect their autonomy and decisions.”
On Sunday, FIFA declared that its disciplinary committee had suspended the red card issued to Balogun during the U.S. match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned on Monday that he had reached out to Infantino to advocate for lifting the suspension, emphasizing that he merely requested a review and did not impose any demands.
Infantino confirmed conversations with Trump regarding Balogun’s suspension and noted that he clarified the “ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies” to the U.S. president.
He further stated, “Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is essential to maintaining the integrity of our competitions and FIFA’s credibility at all times.”
UEFA, the governing body for European football, expressed in a statement on Monday that FIFA’s decision was “incomprehensible and unjustifiable.”
