FIFA President Infantino Defends Judicial Independence Amid Trump Call

FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Monday defended the independence of the governing body's judicial process after confirming that he received a call from US President Donald Trump regarding the suspension of Folarin Balogun.

Infantino said FIFA's disciplinary bodies operate independently and that he informed Trump the matter would be decided through the established legal process.

His statement comes a day after FIFA suspended the implementation of Balogun's automatic one-match ban, allowing the striker to play in the United States' FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Belgium. The decision, taken under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, followed Trump's request for a review and drew criticism from Belgium's football authorities, which questioned the impartiality of the process.

"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," Infantino said in a statement.

"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," he said.

Infantino confirmed he had spoken to Trump but said the conversation did not influence the disciplinary proceedings. "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."

He added, "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."

Balogun had received a straight red card during the United States' Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, triggering an automatic one-match suspension. FIFA later suspended the implementation of the ban for a one-year probationary period, making the Monaco forward available for the knockout match against Belgium while keeping the red card on his record.

UEFA on Monday described the move as "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable", saying it threatened the integrity of the game.

Infantino acknowledged that he does not always agree with the decisions of FIFA's disciplinary bodies but said respecting their autonomy is essential.

"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," the FIFA boss said, while adding, "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."