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The European Parliament has entered the row over US President Donald Trump’s pressure on FIFA to reverse the red-card suspension of striker Folarin Balogun, who played in the World Cup round-of-16 match that the United States lost 4-1 to Belgium.
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A group of MEPs launched an initiative on Tuesday calling for an investigation into the role of FIFA President Gianni Infantino to determine whether pressure from the US administration influenced the decision.
The letter, seen by Euronews, is addressed to the 27 football associations of the European Union, urging them to take formal action with FIFA by requesting an investigation into the decision-making process behind the reversal of Balogun’s suspension.
“We feel that it is time for European Football Associations, all of whom are member associations of FIFA, to intervene and ask that FIFA investigate the [Balogun’s case] decision-making processes,” the text reads.
“Once again, we’ve seen Infantino and FIFA surrender to the demands of the Trump administration,” MEP Barry Andrews, one of the promoters of the letter, told Euronews, calling FIFA’s decision “a disgrace and a perversion of justice”.
Balogun received a disputed red card in the Team USA game against Bosnia and Herzegovina last week and should have been suspended against Belgium in a win-or-home game, as a red card automatically carries a one-match suspension.
Trump later acknowledged calling Infantino over Balogun’s red card, which he described as unfair, but said he did not ask for anything in return. FIFA subsequently suspended the implementation of the ban through a controversial legal loophole that has never before been used at a World Cup since the introduction of red cards.
Trump later thanked Infantino for “reversing a great injustice”. Infantino said he told the US president during the call that FIFA’s disciplinary body was independent.
The decision sparked outrage across Europe.
UEFA, European football’s governing body, described it as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable”, while the Belgian Football Federation has launched a formal challenge against Balogun’s eligibility.
European Commissioner Glenn Micallef, whose portfolio includes sport, also called the reversal the “wrong decision”.
“It’s completely against the rules and the status of FIFA […] and it is quite a scandal,” William Gaillard, former Director of Communications and Public Affairs for UEFA, told Euronews’ flagship show Europe Today on Tuesday.
The Parliament’s letter was initiated by MEPs Barry Andrews (Renew Europe), Lara Wolters and Niels Fuglsang (Socialists and Democrats), and is currently circulating among lawmakers to gather signatures ahead of a deadline of 6pm CET on Wednesday.
The signatories ask the football associations to ensure that “senior FIFA officials be held accountable if evidence exists to suggest they are breaching rules on political neutrality”.
They also recall another letter, signed by 50 MEPs and sent to FIFA, calling for an investigation into the awarding of the FIFA Peace Prize to President Trump.
