“He didn’t do anything wrong… it shouldn’t have been a foul… you have to let them use their best players,” Trump told reporters.
FIFA has suspended its red card ban on Team USA striker Folarin Balogun, making the breakout star eligible to play against Belgium in Monday's World Cup Round of 16 match.
Balogun had been shown a controversial red card during the United States' 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina after video review determined he had stepped on defender Tarik Muharemović during a challenge for the ball. Under FIFA rules, the dismissal automatically carried a one-match suspension. However, FIFA's independent Disciplinary Committee announced Sunday that it had suspended the enforcement of the ban for a one-year probationary period, allowing Balogun to return immediately. "In line with Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year," FIFA said in a statement.
The decision sparked an angry response from Belgium's soccer federation, which said it was "astonished" by the ruling and argued it contradicts FIFA's own competition regulations, which state that a red card automatically results in a suspension for the team's next match. President Donald Trump celebrated the reversal on social media. "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!" Trump wrote.
Trump personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino after Wednesday's match and urged him to review Balogun's suspension. "He didn't do anything wrong... it shouldn't have been a foul... you have to let them use their best players," Trump told reporters on Wednesday in the Oval Office. "It would have been rigged." FIFA has not said whether the call influenced the disciplinary committee's decision. The original red card drew widespread criticism from players, coaches, and former referees.
“I didn’t tell [Infantino] what to do,” the President continued. “I can’t tell him what to do, but — and I don’t believe he made the decision. I think it was a committee that made the decision, and they made the right decision — because number one, it wasn’t a foul, and you want to see a game with your best players.”
https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/2074144885548978257
"For me, never is it a red card," U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino said following the match. U.S. midfielder Weston McKennie similarly blasted the decision. "I think in this stage of the tournament where every player is important, I think it's a bit bogus," McKennie said.
Former FIFA referee and rules analyst Christina Unkel also questioned the call, arguing that video review should never have intervened because the incident was not a "clear and obvious" error. Balogun has emerged as one of the stars of the tournament, leading the United States with three goals after scoring against Paraguay and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents and raised in England, Balogun represented England at youth level before committing his international future to the United States. The U.S. will face Belgium on Monday night in Seattle with a place in the World Cup quarterfinals on the line.
Libby’s Desk
Commentary and must-reads from Libby’s desk, straight to your inbox.
TPM Newsletter
The Post Millennial’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.
