European football body Uefa lashed out yesterday at Fifa’s decision to suspend US striker Folarin Balogun’s World Cup red-card ban, saying it had ‘crossed a red line’ after President Donald Trump personally intervened in the case.
Fifa’s decision has led to widespread criticism and put its disciplinary process in the spotlight, prompting the Belgians, who play the US early this morning for a place in the quarter-finals to say they were challenging the player’s eligibility for the match.
Fifa, however, rejected Belgium’s challenge over Balogun’s eligibility.
The affair also ensures that one of the tournament’s biggest talking points will centre not on tactics or team selection but on the relations between the sport’s governing body and political power.
Trump, who personally urged Fifa president Gianni Infantino to review Balogun’s case, said yesterday that it was unfair for Fifa to take out one of the US’ best players.
“We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision,” Uefa said yesterday, adding that ‘Yesterday’s decision ... crossed a red line’.
“When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined.”
Trump defended his role in the matter, telling reporters at the White House: “All I did, I asked for a review, because I didn’t think it was a foul.”
Asked if British Prime Minister Keir Starmer could make a similar intervention, education minister Olivia Bailey told Sky News: “What I’m supposed to say is politicians shouldn’t interfere in sports. But knowing the Prime Minister he’s probably already texting him. Whatever we need to do, it’s coming home.”