Earlier this month, FIFA made a rather unprecedented move when it overturned a suspension for United States star Folarin Balogun to allow him to play in the Round of 16 match against Belgium. The move drew sharp criticism at the time, especially after United States President Donald Trump confirmed calling FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the suspension. Now, it sounds like it might cost Infantino his job.
While Infantino confirmed that he will be seeking a third term at the FIFA Congress back in April, it sounds like he will no longer be running unopposed as other candidates are reportedly gaining support within UEFA following the Trump incident.
Donald Trump’s Involvement
Balogun was expected to miss the match against Belgium with an automatic suspension after receiving a red card in the previous match. However, in a highly unusual move, FIFA announced the day before the match that Balogun would be eligible to play after FIFA suspended his punishment.
It was a nearly unprecedented move that quickly sparked outrage throughout the sports world, especially once Trump confirmed that he called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to look into the matter, resulting in some Americans even throwing their support behind Belgium instead of the USMNT.
Trump and Infantino both confirmed the call, but they both downplayed the role the call had in overturning Balogun’s suspension.
“Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues,” Infantino wrote in a statement. “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.”
“All I did, I asked for a review, cause I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said, via Yahoo. “I didn’t tell them what to do, I can’t tell them what to do. … I think it was a committee that made the decision, and they made the right decision.”
However, reporting from The Times’ Martyn Ziegler has refuted the role any committee may have played in Balogun’s ruling.
“There are 18 members of FIFA’s disciplinary committee but the unprecedented decision to lift Balogun’s automatic ban was taken by just one person – the chairman Mohammad Al Kamali of UAE. No one else was consulted,” Ziegler reported on Sunday.
Problems for Infantino
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Infantino faced some fierce criticism with some calling for him to resign immediately. While that didn’t happen, it sounds like he could have issues with his re-election bid.
According to prominent soccer journalist Ben Jacobs of talkSPORT, there is a growing movement within UEFA federations to back a candidate to run against Infantino at the next FIFA presidential election after the incident involving Trump.
“talkSPORT has learned there is some support for other candidates within UEFA,” Jacobs wrote this week. “It comes in light of talkSPORT exclusively revealing Infantino received a call from US President Donald Trump asking him to review US striker Folarin Balogun’s red card, which was subsequently suspended, with UEFA reacting with a strong statement accusing FIFA of ‘crossing a red line’.”
While it does not seem like Infantino will be removed from office over the Trump incident, it sounds like he may lose his position in the long run as a result.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.