The scandal with Folarin Balogun’s red card is much, very much bigger than what has come to light so far. Sky Sports legend JEff Stelling is
Jeff Stelling demands that Gianni Infantino resign immediately, after US President Donald Trump personally intervened and ensured that Folarin Balogun does not have to serve his red card against Belgium.
Balogun was sent off in the USA’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32, after a VAR review. A red card automatically means a one-match ban – and the striker should thus have sat out the last eight against Belgium.
But in a highly controversial decision, FIFA has temporarily set the penalty aside. The reason: Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino and asked that the case be reconsidered.
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“It’s a scandal of the greats,” thunders Jeff Stelling in talkSPORT. “Gianni Infantino must resign. He must resign today. The point is not whether it was a red card or not. The point is the way the authorities have handled this.
According to the New York Times , several people in the Trump administration are said to have gotten involved, including by bringing in lawyers to help the United States appeal, even though Fifa made it very clear that the team could not appeal the decision.
We already know that Gianni Infantino has glued his mouth to Donald Trump’s ass. – So far it has been about money and glamour, but now it directly affects the result of the World Cup itself.
“The relationship with Trump makes the position untenable”
Stelling points out that Infantino himself has created the situation, when he instituted the FIFA Peace Prize and gave it to Trump – who has now used the friendship to influence a sporting decision.
“His position is untenable. The smell of corruption is exceptionally unpleasant. He lacks self-awareness. He wants to be in the middle of every single image of Champions League winners – and who is in the middle? Gianni Infantino .
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Reactions hail
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has also reacted strongly:
“Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. If an American president intervenes with the FIFA president – and a player is suddenly acquitted before a World Cup playoff match – the question is inevitable: Quo vadis, FIFA? Football must never become a playground for political power.
The Belgian Football Association is furious and says they are “astonished” by the decision. The federation has asked for an explanation from FIFA, but claims they have not received any – neither the decision nor a reason.
Belgium’s coach Rudi García did not spare his gunpowder either:
“I didn’t know that in the FIFA World Cup, July 5 is actually the first of April.
UEFA strikes like a hammer
Europe’s football association has issued a particularly harsh statement, calling the decision “historyless, incomprehensible and indefensible” and believing FIFA has crossed a red line.
“When the predictability of the rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is put at risk and the credibility of a competition is undermined,” the statement reads.
Risk of precedent
Several have pointed out that the decision could set a dangerous precedent. Jürgen Klopp called it “madness” if Trump and Infantino have settled this among themselves. Norway’s national team manager Ståle Solbakken said that it is “a big blunder by FIFA that will hurt the World Cup”.
At the same time, England are now considering whether they can get similar help for Jarell Quansah, who received a red card against Mexico and is in danger of sitting out the quarter-finals against Norway.
Folarin Balogun ready for USA against Belgium – World Cup expulsion has amazingly been lifted by FIFA
