FIFA President Gianni Infantino is under pressure again after 72 European MEPs called for a formal investigation into the Folarin Balogun scandal. The USMNT striker was sent off in the Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina for what was considered a soft challenge at the time.
Balogun was expected to miss the USMNT’s Round of 16 match against Belgium, but he was suspended by FIFA after Donald Trump took credit for the turnaround. The board denied political interference, but President Trump proudly claimed that his intervention was what prompted FIFA to change its mind and allow Balogun to play.
The incident did not go down well with most in the football world, and corruption allegations began to be leveled at FIFA in the days that followed. Balogun played in the USMNT’s game against Belgium, but was unable to prevent his team from losing 4-1 and being eliminated from the tournament.
Although his co-host was defeated, the burden on Infantino’s shoulders does not seem to have eased, as the EU has called for a formal investigation to be launched. Seventy-two members of the European Parliament are said to have sent a formal letter to the EU’s 27 football associations regarding the Infantino-Balogun incident.
They suggest that concerns remain about the decision-making process that allowed Balogun to play against Belgium and that an investigation should be carried out immediately. “In light of Sunday’s decision to suspend the implementation of automatic one-match suspensions, we feel that the time has come for FIFA member associations, the European Football Association, to intervene and call for FIFA to investigate the aforementioned decision-making process. FIFA’s statutory rules and ethical code provide a very clear basis for member associations to intervene and demand an investigation,” the MEPs’ letter said.
They argue that FIFA has broken its own internal rules on political neutrality, pointing to the FIFA handbook that outlines when and where politicians should not get involved. “The requirement of political neutrality is clearly outlined in both the FIFA Statutes and the Code of Ethics. Article 4(2) of the FIFA Statutes outlines the principle that ‘FIFA shall remain neutral in matters of politics and religion’, and Article 15 of the FIFA Code of Ethics states that all football officials must remain politically neutral and provides strong sanctions for violations,” the lawmakers argued.
“Member associations have an important role to play in ensuring that the rules are followed and those who break them are held accountable. In that regard, please add your voice to recent calls to support an investigation by members of Congress and the Norwegian Football Federation into Gianni Infantino’s relationship with President Trump. Any future investigation must include an examination of the decision-making process surrounding FIFA’s decision to reverse the suspension imposed on the U.S. men’s national team.” ”
Meanwhile, the competition resumes on Thursday night with the quarter-final stage, with Morocco vs. France the first of four matches to advance to the last eight. Spain will play USMNT winner Belgium on Friday night, with England vs. Norway and Argentina vs. Colombia scheduled for Saturday.
