A White House official has accused Keir Starmer of ‘putting lives at risk’ with his intervention to stop England’s kick-off time with Mexico from being changed.
Mexico and England’s football federations were left totally in the dark after it emerged that FIFA were considering moving their World Cup last-16 clash forward by six hours at late notice.
Concerns over potential thunderstorms and fan safety were both cited as reasons for exploring the change before FIFA eventually shelved the plans after heavy backlash.
Subsequent reports have suggested that the FA sought assistance from the Prime Minister amid the uncertainty, with Starmer intervening to help avoid a last-minute change.
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The United States government has come under fire after Donald Trump revealed he spoke with FIFA president Gianni Infantino to discuss Folarin Balogun’s red card before the USA striker’s one-match ban was controversially suspended.
But Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on the World Cup, brushed aside criticism of Trump and instead sought to question Starmer for wading into FIFA’s decision-making over England’s kick-off time.
‘I would go and point to something I think is a much graver decision that was made just a couple days ago,’ Giuliani told talkSPORT.
‘Keir Starmer’s intervention through diplomatic channels of not allowing the Mexico-England match time to be moved.
‘In the round of 32 after the match, three Mexicans died in this celebration.
‘And there were discussions about moving that match time from the evening [6pm, local time] to noon so then that way you would have less risk of life to Mexicans.
‘That’s far graver when you actually think about the consequences, the potential consequences, that anything that happens on the pitch right there.
‘So I would point you to that and see the immediate precedence in heads of state looking at something that happens potentially on the pitch.’
Downing Street has since sought to clarify Starmer’s role in any discussions, saying in a statement: ‘The Prime Minister was clear that he was supportive of representations made by the Football Association regarding the practical implications of a proposed scheduling change for the team’s preparations.
‘The final decision on fixture timings remained a matter for FIFA.
‘But as we’ve consistently said, decisions on disciplinary matters and the application of rules of the game are for FIFA and for the relevant football authorities.’
And elsewhere, Starmer has refused to rule out the possibility of a Bank Holiday should England go all the way and win the World Cup this summer.
‘On the question of a bank holiday, I think I don’t want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final,’ Starmer said.
Starmer, though, has insisted he won’t follow Trump’s lead and seek to get Jarell Quansah’s red overturned following England’s win over Mexico.
‘I can’t tell you how many messages I’ve had to rescind the red card that we received in the early hours of Monday,’ Starmer said.
‘I hasten to add, I haven’t attempted to do that.’
The Three Lions are back in action on Saturday when they face Norway in Miami.
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