‘I’m good at this stuff’: Why Trump put in call to FIFA
US President Donald Trump has explained his conversation with the FIFA boss over a controversial red card call, telling reporters “I’m good at this stuff”.
Source: Fox News
US President Donald Trump has explained his conversation with the FIFA boss over the controversial red card call on star US striker Folarin Balogun.
“All I did was ask for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul. And, you know, again, I’m good at this stuff,” Trump said at the Oval Office on Monday (Tuesday AEDT).
Trump said he saw it as two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled.
Meanwhile, FIFA has rejected Belgium’s complaint about the later suspension of Balogun’s red card ban, a decision Trump has described as brilliant.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended world soccer’s disciplinary process amid the international wave of criticism that has followed, and as the controversy spilled over into politics.
Infantino said FIFA’s judicial bodies operated “independently and autonomously” and that he had told Trump the Balogun case was subject to an ongoing legal process.
The affair – in which Trump called Infantino seeking a review of the red card – has become the World Cup’s biggest controversy, drawing condemnation from European football body UEFA, which said FIFA had “crossed a red line”, the Royal Belgian Football Association, several national federations as well as senior coaches, officials and politicians. Critics argue FIFA has undermined confidence in its own disciplinary system.
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It also prompted the Belgians, who play the US on Tuesday (Australian time) for a place in the quarter-finals, to unsuccessfully challenge Balogun’s eligibility for the match.
United States’ Folarin Balogun walks off after receiving a red card against Bosnia & Herzegovina. Photo: AAP
Balogun was sent off for a tackle during last week’s US win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, a punishment that usually carries an automatic one-match ban.
“He didn’t do anything wrong and he is our best player,” Trump said. “When they take your best player and say ‘You can’t play’ it’s very unfair.
“If they would not allow a top player to play I think it (the World Cup) would have had a big stain. I related that feeling.”
Trump also questioned the quality of refereeing by Brazil’s Raphael Claus, who sent Balogun off, saying he was “a little bit suspect if you check his past”. He did not elaborate.
Infantino later confirmed the call but said he explained to Trump that FIFA’s judicial bodies operated independently.
Gianni Infantino awards Donald Trump the FIFA Peace Prize. Photo: AAP
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“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,” Infantino said.
“That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.”
For UEFA, the decision to suspend the ban was wrong.
“We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision,” it said.
“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.”
FIFA said its appeal committee had rendered a request submitted by the Belgian football body as inadmissible.
“The request was rendered inadmissible on the grounds that the RBFA is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to appeal the decision,” it said.
In a further indication of politicians becoming involved, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he intervened to ask FIFA not to bring forward kick-off at the Azteca for the Mexico-England match on Sunday (local time).
The change was suggested due to the risk of thunderstorms delaying the game (which they did, for an hour) but was feared to harm England’s chances in a game it ultimately won 3-2.
Meanwhile, France has appealed to FIFA to have the yellow card handed out to forward Michael Olise for a confrontation with Paraguay midfielder Matias Galarza on Saturday rescinded, The Athletic reports.
—with AAP
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