President Trump confirms role in FIFA reviewing, overturning Folarin Balogun red card: 'I'm the one who got them to do it'

1 month ago 5

In a shocking move on Sunday, the U.S. men's national team got word that striker Folarin Balogun would be available for Monday's Round of 16 game against Belgium after his red card was overturned.

It was reported that President Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday and asked for the World Cup governing body to review Balogun's ban. On Monday, Trump confirmed as much, taking credit for the reversal of the call: "All I did, I asked for a review, cause I didn't think it was a foul," he said.

The president reiterated several times that he had merely suggested what should be done and hadn't told the committee what should happen.

"I didn't tell them what to do, I can't tell them what to do … I think it was a committee that made the decision, and they made the right decision." Even with his insistence that he didn't tell them what to do, the president did end a response by saying, "I'm the one that got them to do it; it was not Biden; Biden was asleep."

President Trump provided examples of what he thought would be similar instances, saying what would have happened if it had been Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or Harry Kane who had "bumped into someone" and not been allowed to play.

He added that it would have "stained this incredible championship" and that the teams deserve to have the best players possible. President Trump ended the response by calling into question the referee's past, saying, "wasn't so great," but he didn't elaborate on what he meant.

The president did talk about the decision to suspend the red card and what it means for Belgium's approach to the game.

"The people in Belgium — if they win the game, they can be very proud. If they would have won the game with the player missing, it would have been a different feeling. You can't do that, and I'm very glad. All I did was ask for a review. I didn't say, "You have to do this."

Balogun was expected to be suspended for the match after receiving a red card in the United States' win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. The striker was trying to make a play for the ball against defender Tarik Muharemović, but was called for a foul that was reviewed.

Upon review, which when slowed down showed Balogun clearly stepping on the defender's ankle, he was shown a red card and sent off early in the second half of the match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The red card came with by an automatic one-game suspension, per Article 10.5 of FIFA's World Cup rules. The Athletic also reported that after the match, multiple FIFA officials said teams were unable to appeal red cards or the resulting suspensions.

FIFA released a statement about the ruling. "By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year."

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