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The storm surrounding the World Cup after FIFA the opposite of the U-turn on the red card given to the American player Folarin Balogun may be unbelievable and surprising, but experts believe that it is not unexpected, given the history of US President Donald Trump’s political intervention.
FIFA has been removed Belgium’s request against the renewal of Balogun’s suspension on Monday, calling it “illegal”, hours before the USA vs Belgium knockout game kicks off in Seattle.
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Balogun received a red card for a hard tackle on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic in the USA’s 2-0 win in their last 32 match, prompting a one-match suspension. It would have kept Balogun out of the USA squad for their last 16 match against Belgium, until FIFA announced on Sunday that it had suspended the red card. The decision came after Trump urged FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the case.
While Trump’s relationship with Infantino is no secret, a leading sports analyst said the controversy underscores the extent of Trump’s influence over the world’s soccer governing body.
“Trump’s MAGA (Make America Great Again) plan has now become visible to the world, as Infantino and FIFA are looking for money,” Simon Chadwick, professor of Afro-Eurasian sports at the Emlyon Business School in Shanghai, told Al Jazeera.
“It’s been an accident waiting to happen for a long time.”
Although Trump spoke about the problems related to the World Cup in the preparation of the tournament, including the participation of the Iranian team, he did not comment on the events related to football when the World Cup started until Balogun received a red card.
Chadwick explained that when the events began, “it seemed inevitable that Trump would break the silence for three weeks, and that Infantino would listen to his request”.
Infantino’s damage control on Monday only strengthened Chadwick’s assessment of the situation.
The FIFA president insisted in his speech that the world football governing body’s refereeing committees are independent and called for the suspension to be reversed.
“They work independently, they use the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and they decide cases according to the rules that are in force and what is in front of them,” he said, before acknowledging his talks with Trump.
“Yes, I regularly discuss with the President of the FIFA World Cup and the President of the United States, and in this case, I received a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, those involved in football, and business managers around the world on various issues,” he said.
“During our conversation, I explained that there is an ongoing legal process related to FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case will be decided in time by the appropriate bodies. This is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always follow,” said Infantino.
The president of FIFA said that he always reads the decisions that have been made, and “sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I don’t agree”.
“What I always do is respect the decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them.”
Chadwick, however, argued that FIFA’s third-party interference rules went out the window after Trump intervened.
“What has happened in Balogun’s case appears to be irregular and a violation of established laws,” he said.
“It seems that changing the rules in the middle of a race, without consultation, with the help of a politician who is often in chaos, sets a very dangerous precedent,” he added.
The decision has angered FIFA, Belgium’s support, and the inevitable jokes from the national team’s head coaches wondering if they too will appeal the red and yellow cards handed out to their players.
After England defender Jarell Quansah was left out of his side’s 3-2 last-16 win against Mexico, England coach Thomas Tuchel questioned the decision.
“Who removes this decision, and when? And for what reason? This goes so far? This is surprising to me,” Tuchel told reporters at the Mexico City Stadium on Sunday.
Even former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who resigned in 2015 due to corruption, joined them.
“Red cards are not replaced by political calls. They are replaced by laws, evidence, and independent institutions,” he wrote on X.
“If the president of the United States intervenes with the president of FIFA – and a player is suddenly removed before the World Cup – the question is inevitable: Quo vadis (where are you going), FIFA? Football should not be a political arena.”
Mr. Chadwick repeated the words.
“It raises all kinds of questions: What next? Who? What goals? Who benefits? It seems FIFA has overstepped its bounds and is allowing business, politics, and America.”
