FIFA president Gianni Infantino personally intervened to suspend Folarin Balogun's World Cup red card following a call with President Trump, a bombshell new report has claimed.
In a saga that sparked condemnation from across the world, the striker was originally barred from the USA's last-16 match against Belgium, only for his ban to be sensationally suspended by the FIFA disciplinary committee following a protest by the White House. Now the New York Post claims that Infantino told Trump in a call on July 1 that 'he would take care of it. One call and it was done.'
FIFA did not comment on the new claims but pointed to a July statement from Infantino, when he insisted the decision was made by ‘independent’ bodies acting ‘autonomously.’
The claims are nevertheless likely to pile more pressure on the FIFA president, who is in Switzerland this week for a council meeting that some expect to be 'explosive.' His position is already under threat after a number of controversies over the past year. Back in December, Infantino awarded Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize - to widespread ridicule.
During the World Cup, the Balogun affair saw Infantino accused of favoritism and caving to the White House, while the FIFA president and Trump were mocked for handing over the trophy to Spain together.
Before long, Infantino faced a mutiny over his secret plans - later scrapped - to sell a stake in the World Cup to private equity investors including Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Gianni Infantino reportedly intervened to suspend Folarin Balogun's World Cup red card
The striker was sent off for a tackle during their 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina
Back in July, Balogun was sent off during the USA's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, with FIFA regulations stipulating that red cards can only be appealed in the case of mistaken identity, or if a player was facing a multi-game suspension.
But Trump later confirmed that he had asked Infantino to 'review' the sending off.
'All I did was ask for a review. I didn't say, you have to do this,' the president said. 'This man is a smart, tough man, Gianni Infantino.
'He's a smart, tough man, and his stock has gone through the roof because the job he has done has been great. I feel like we have to have all the best players on the field.'
Though Balogun was cleared to play, the USMNT suffered a 4-1 loss to Belgium which cut short their World Cup campaign.
US-born Canada coach Jesse Marsch later said: 'What I feel when the Balogun ruling happens is that would never happen in any other country in the world, and this is why everyone around the world hates America.'
Amid the backlash, Infantino released a statement which read: 'I have seen the public comments regarding the decision of the independent FIFA Disciplinary Committee related to the suspension of Folarin Balogun, and I would like to reiterate a fundamental principle of FIFA’s governance.
'FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them.
'Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.
Trump later confirmed that he had asked FIFA president Infantino to 'review' the sending off
The USMNT crashed out of the World Cup following a 4-1 loss to Belgium in Seattle
'Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues.
'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.
'That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold. I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree.
'What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant. Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and the credibility of FIFA at all times.'
The Post also reports that, on the eve of a FIFA council meeting this week, soccer chiefs proposed a disciplinary code change that 'forbids FIFA legal panels from suspending automatic one-game bans for red cards.'
A source insisted the move would only put the change up for discussion at the upcoming FIFA meeting and was neither an emergency attempt to rewrite the rules or an admission of guilt over the Balogun affair.
Earlier this month, meanwhile, former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega announced his intention to challenge Infantino at next year's FIFA presidential election.
Despite mounting pressure over recent months, Infantino intends to stand for a fourth consecutive term next March at the FIFA Congress. But there is uncertainty around his future after three confederations rejected Infantino's plan, which was then abandoned.
Among them was UEFA, which said it has lost confidence in Infantino and threatened to boycott future World Cups.
Vega, meanwhile, played for Tottenham between 1997 and 2001 and is the first person to publicly challenge the 56-year-old.