European Parliament Demands FIFA Ethics Probe Over 3 Trump Calls on Balogun Red Card
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 7
European Parliament Demands FIFA Ethics Probe Over 3 Trump Calls on Balogun Red Card
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 7
Summary
European Parliament members called for an ethics investigation into FIFA after Donald Trump said he made three calls to president Gianni Infantino to help overturn Folarin Balogun’s red card.
The demand centers on whether political pressure influenced a decision FIFA said was made under its judicial process, after Balogun’s ban was rescinded before the United States lost to Belgium on Monday.
UEFA condemned the reversal as an unprecedented decision that undermined the certainty of rules and the competition’s credibility, saying FIFA had crossed a red line.
Sepp Blatter also attacked Infantino over the affair, saying red cards should be overturned only by rules, evidence and independent bodies.
The episode deepens scrutiny of Infantino’s grip on FIFA, where backing from non-European member associations has so far insulated him from serious internal challenge.