‘You can’t do that’: Trump admits lobbying FIFA boss to review US player’s red card

Washington: Donald Trump admitted calling FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ask for a review of stand-out US forward Folarin Balogun’s red card, declaring the incident in question “wasn’t a foul” and the automatic one-game suspension was “unfair”.

In an extraordinary, lengthy recounting of how he personally lobbied the World Cup boss, the US president acknowledged he did not initially know what a red card meant, and was outraged when told Balogun would have to miss the US’ round-of-16 clash with Belgium.

It came as FIFA dismissed Belgium’s challenge to Balogun’s eligibility to play in today’s match. It said the Royal Belgian Football Association​ “is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to ⁠appeal the decision” to lift the American’s suspension.

Trump, who is close with Infantino and was awarded the inaugural “FIFA Peace Prize” last year at the World Cup draw in Washington, told reporters in the Oval Office why he believed the red card was unfair.

“I saw the play. I’m a person that loves sports, was a good athlete, and I understand sports really well – really well,” Trump said. “That wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other.”

Balogun, America’s stand-out forward with three goals, received a red card for stepping awkwardly on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemović of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 2-0 round-of-32 win.

The US president traduced the referee of that match, Raphael Claus, saying he was “very suspect”. Claus was accused but cleared of match-fixing allegations in the past.

“He gave him a red card,” Trump said. “I didn’t know what that meant. Then I started hearing that that means he can’t play in the next game.

“It’s one thing to penalise somebody for the game, but how do you penalise him for a game that hasn’t been played yet? It’s very unfair. You can’t do that. So, yes, I asked for a review by FIFA.”

A one-game suspension is an automatic consequence of a red card being issued during a match.

Trump said he did not tell Infantino to overturn the red card. But he admitted warning the FIFA president that it would be a “big stain” on the competition if the suspension continued.

“If they wouldn’t allow a top player, maybe the best on the team … I think it would have had a big stain. I related [relayed] just that feeling.

“I didn’t tell him what to do. I can’t tell him what to do. And I don’t believe he made the decision. I believe it was a committee that made the decision, and they made the right decision.”

An astonished Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) had formally challenged Balogun’s eligibility to play in the round-of-16 clash, which kicks off at 10am AEST on Tuesday.

It alleged that it only learnt of FIFA’s decision to lift the automatic suspension through media reports, and then wrote to FIFA requesting a copy of the decision and an explanation of the process followed. It also set out its own position on the applicable regulations.

The Belgian association said FIFA initially only sent a letter saying that a judge had been appointed to consider an appeal.

“To be clear, as of this moment, the RBFA has still not received any decision or any explanation from FIFA regarding this matter. It therefore has no alternative but to challenge the player’s eligibility for the upcoming match,” the RBFA said ahead of the failed challenge.

“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.”

In a statement, Infantino acknowledged the phone call from Trump, but said he regularly received calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives on a variety of issues.

“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.

“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 to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.”

Infantino said he sometimes agreed with FIFA Disciplinary Committee decisions, and sometimes did not. “What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant.”

FIFA referred to Infantino’s statement when contacted by this masthead with further questions.

The situation has outraged the soccer world, with the UEFA – European soccer’s governing body – saying the decision to lift Balogun’s suspension “crossed a red line”.

“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,” the UEFA said.

“Football is the most loved sport in the world because it is a beautiful game and is trusted because it is played everywhere with the same laws … We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.”

Asked about the matter by a reporter in Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the red card to Balogun was a bad decision, and it was a good thing his suspension was reversed.

He argued Belgium would want Balogun to play otherwise, if they won, the victory would be seen as “tainted” because the leading US forward was absent.

“Everyone will be at full strength and the winner will be the winner,” Rubio said.

With AP, Reuters

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