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He is haunted by the suspicion of manipulation
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on FIFA 2026, launched a fresh attack on Brazilian referee Rafael Klaus after he showed US forward Folarin Balogun a red card during the Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was later overturned.
During a news conference in Washington on Wednesday, Giuliani insisted that Klaus was being investigated for suspected match-fixing before backtracking and correcting his statement, saying:
Giuliani, the son of former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, previously suggested that Balogun’s red card “could be a fraudulent way to control the game on the field.”
According to the newspaper “A mirror“The US official appeared to be referring to the match-fixing scandal in Brazil in 2024, when US businessman John Textor, the owner of Botafogo, laid charges against referees after his team lost the league title race.
On the other hand, the Brazilian Football Confederation and FIFA defended the Brazilian referee, stressing that he “has consistently demonstrated the highest standards of professionalism and integrity”.
The decision to send Balogun off sparked widespread anger among fans, and the matter reached President Donald Trump, who called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to express his displeasure. Hours later, FIFA’s independent disciplinary committee decided to freeze Balogun’s suspension, allowing him to play in the round of 16 against Belgium.
Balogun’s participation did not save the American team from a 4-1 defeat and elimination from the tournament, but it did not stop Giuliani from continuing to put pressure on the Brazilian referee.
The American official added. “When irregular red cards are added to the use of video technology, World Cup referees need to know that VAR cannot be used in the way it was used in the 64th minute against Balogun. He should have known that. It’s clear.”
He continued. “In your training as a referee, it’s really questionable to see how the video system was misused in the 64th minute for routine contact fouls that should never have been used in this way.”
