Like most Americans, I truly don’t know that much about FIFA as an organization. I couldn’t tell you how FIFA is structured or how they operate as a governing body or anything like that. But one thing I do know is that FIFA has historically been one of the most corrupt organizations in global sports. Everyone knows that. And for the most part, it’s just accepted. But suddenly it’s a problem when FIFA-Peace-Prize-winner Donald Trump does a little corruption with FIFA!! How dare you?? FIFA was doing deals with Prince Bonesaw as Qatar literally had slaves building their stadiums for the 2022 World Cup, and now a FIFA Peace Prize recipient can’t have a friendly little conversation about an American player’s red card?
President Trump called Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, on Wednesday and asked him to review the suspension of the United States’ top goal scorer in the World Cup, Folarin Balogun, after he was given a red card in the team’s match that night against Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to three people familiar with the conversation.
On Sunday, FIFA reversed the suspension, announcing that Mr. Balogun would be eligible to play Monday against Belgium. The reversal is highly unusual and is the first time since 1962 that FIFA has allowed a player to appear in a game when they would have been suspended after being sent off in the World Cup. Mr. Infantino has spent years trying to curry favor with Mr. Trump. Last year, FIFA created and gave Mr. Trump the FIFA Peace Prize amid the president’s public, but failed, campaign to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Belgian federation reacted with fury on Sunday. In a statement it described being “astonished by FIFA’s decision to declare suspended United States player Folarin Balogun eligible to play in the U.S.A.-Belgium match.” The federation added that it was “investigating all potential options.”
The White House referred to Mr. Trump’s post on social media in which he celebrated FIFA’s announcement, though he did not say that he called Mr. Infantino, nor did he take any credit for the decision. “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right and reversing a great injustice,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
Mr. Balogun was ejected midway through the second half after tussling with a Bosnian opponent and after opening the scoring in Santa Clara, Calif., to set the United States on course for victory. As the men went for a ball, Mr. Balogun’s foot came down on his opponent’s ankle, causing it to twist awkwardly. After a video review, he was sent off the field with a red card. The red card also carried a one-game suspension for Monday’s match against Belgium. But on Sunday, FIFA said Mr. Balogun could play.
Is this naked corruption? Yes. Do I think this kind of corruption should be rooted out? Of course. Is it also pretty funny? Well, yeah, kind of. Granted, I wouldn’t be laughing if the obvious corruption was hurting the USMNT, but since it’s helping our guys, I’ll turn a blind eye. Which is basically how every country deals with FIFA anyway, right? America is simply joining in on the grand tradition of FIFA corruption.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
