By Adegboyega Adeleye
United States President Donald Trump has disclosed that he personally requested a review by FIFA following the controversial red card shown to USA striker Folarin Balogun during the FIFA World Cup, saying the governing body’s decision to revisit the incident was the right one, according to the BBC.
Trump’s latest remarks come a day after he publicly thanked FIFA for suspending Balogun’s red card, a decision that cleared the forward to feature in the United States’ Round of 16 clash against Belgium after the dismissal against Bosnia and Herzegovina sparked widespread controversy.
Speaking on Monday, Trump said the punishment never made sense because it extended beyond the match in which the offence was committed.
“It’s one thing to penalise somebody for the game, but how do you penalise them for a game that hasn’t been played yet? It’s very unfair, you can’t do that.”
The US President then revealed that he had intervened by asking FIFA to review the referee’s decision.
“Yes, I asked for a review by FIFA. I spoke to a man who is highly respected, whose level of respect has gone up tenfold, and he was good before this started but he really pushed it in this country.
“I’m the one who got them to do it (bring the World Cup to America). It was not Joe Biden. I got the Olympics and I got the World Cup. We gave a little piece to Canada, a little piece to Mexico, but I got that myself.”
Trump reiterated his belief that Balogun had committed no offence deserving of a dismissal, describing the striker as one of the USA’s key players.
“He didn’t do anything wrong. He’s our best player, or one of our best players, and the referee gave him a red card.
“Then I started hearing that means he can’t play in the next game. If it happened to another player that would have been unfair, but when they take your best player, or just about, and they say you can’t play, that is very unfair.”
He also criticised the referee who handled the match, suggesting the official’s decision had surprised both teams.
“This referee, who is a little bit suspect. If you check his past, I don’t want to say that because I don’t like to create controversy, but very suspect.
“He made a call that nobody could believe. Even people on the other side, they were saying, ‘We got lucky, wow.’”
On Sunday, Trump welcomed FIFA’s decision to suspend Balogun’s red card, writing on his Truth Social platform: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” The decision means the USA striker is available for selection against Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16.
