US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he asked FIFA to reconsider the one-match suspension handed to American striker Folarin Balogun for the World Cup.
Trump stated that FIFA made the “right decision” by suspending the ban. In his view, upholding the suspension would have been a “major stain” on the World Cup. Balogun, the USA’s top scorer in the current tournament, was set to miss the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle on Tuesday. However, on Monday night, FIFA suspended the automatic one-match ban for 12 months, clearing the way for the 25-year-old forward to play in the match. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump revealed that he had requested FIFA to review the decision because he did not believe the incident constituted a foul.
Trump further confirmed that he had spoken with FIFA President Gianni Infantino about the matter. However, he emphasized that he had only requested a reconsideration of the decision and did not issue an order to suspend the ban. Trump remarked, “It seemed to me that two outstanding athletes collided and got tangled up with each other.”
He added, “I felt that enforcing the suspension would have left a significant blemish on the World Cup. I cannot tell FIFA what to do. I believe FIFA did not make this decision directly; the relevant commission did. And they made the right choice.” With the suspension lifted, Balogun is now eligible to take the field for the USA’s crucial knockout match against Belgium.
