EU Parliament members urge FIFA ethics probe into president's decision after Trump intervention
Three European Parliament lawmakers have asked EU football associations to push for an ethics investigation into FIFA president Gianni Infantino over the lifting of a red-card suspension following a call from President Donald Trump.
European Parliament members Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters and Niels Fuglsang said FIFA changed a disciplinary rule after U.S. President Donald Trump contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino on behalf of striker Samuel Balogun. Balogun had received a red card in a match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on July 1, which would normally have barred him from the next game. FIFA’s disciplinary committee later lifted the suspension.
The lawmakers issued a joint statement urging the national football associations of EU member states to request that FIFA’s Ethics Committee examine whether political pressure influenced the decision and to look into other possible breaches of political neutrality, such as the awarding of a FIFA Peace Prize to Trump. They noted that 35 parliamentarians have signed the letter.
"When Infantino allows political pressure to determine who gets to play, this sense of fairness goes out the window," the statement said.
FIFA responded that the suspension was lifted by its disciplinary committee in accordance with its procedures.