The controversy surrounding the overturning of the suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun at the FIFA World Cup is still going full steam ahead.
After United States President Donald Trump publicly stated that he had intervened with FIFA to reverse the player’s punishment, world football’s governing body responded to the case.
In an official statement signed by president Gianni Infantino, the FIFA presidency confirmed that the phone call with Donald Trump did in fact take place, but denied any kind of direct interference in the outcome of the ruling.
According to Infantino, conversations with heads of state and top executives are part of the FIFA presidency’s routine.
However, the organization’s chief stressed that during Trump’s call, he made it clear that there was an “ongoing legal process” and that the verdict would be decided exclusively by the competent bodies.
To dispel accusations of opacity and calm the controversy, which already includes strong criticism from the Belgian Football Federation, FIFA emphasized that the Disciplinary Committee operates autonomously, applying the regulations based on the facts presented, regardless of external pressure.
The statement concludes with a reflection on institutional respect, stressing that whether one agrees with the Committee’s decisions or not is irrelevant, as long as the credibility and the rule of law of the competition are preserved.
Below, read the full translated statement on the case:
“I have seen the public comments regarding the decision of FIFA’s independent Disciplinary Committee related to the suspension of Folarin Balogun and would like to reiterate a fundamental principle of FIFA governance.
FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts presented to them. Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.
Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States and, on this matter, I received a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders, and business executives from around the world on many different matters. During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle I will always uphold.
I read FIFA Disciplinary Committee decisions when they are published. Sometimes they surprise me. Sometimes I agree with them and sometimes I disagree.
What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant. Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and FIFA’s credibility at all times.”
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
