Uefa Accuses Fifa of Crossing Red Line Over 1-Game Balogun Ban Lift After 3 Trump Calls
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 6
Uefa Accuses Fifa of Crossing Red Line Over 1-Game Balogun Ban Lift After 3 Trump Calls
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 6
Summary
Uefa said Fifa’s suspension of Balogun’s automatic one-match ban for a year was “incomprehensible and unjustifiable,” arguing the USA forward should still miss Monday’s last-16 match against Belgium.
Three calls from Donald Trump to Fifa, starting Wednesday after Balogun’s red card in the 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, were cited by sources as key to securing the reversal.
Belgium’s federation has appealed without seeing Fifa’s full reasoning, saying it received only a brief reference to Article 27 and no clear timetable for a ruling before kickoff.
Fifa now faces wider scrutiny and possible legal action from Belgium, while European officials and the UK government warned that political pressure over disciplinary decisions threatens sporting autonomy and tournament credibility.