Norway’s soccer federation is considering filing a complaint to FIFA ethics investigators over U.S. President Donald Trump’s role in clearing Folarin Balogun from a mandatory one-game ban at the World Cup.
Background
After Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino, a one-game ban for Balogun’s red-card tackle against Bosnia-Herzegovina was deferred so he could play against Belgium with a quarterfinals place at stake.
Norwegian federation president Lise Klaveness expressed concerns that Trump’s influence may have compromised the integrity of the game, stating that the decision was influenced by external forces and did not follow the proper process.
Klaveness, a lawyer and judge, has positioned the Norwegian federation as a conscience in world soccer since her election in 2022.
Implications
The incident has sparked concerns about the independence of FIFA’s disciplinary process and the potential for political influence in the sport.
The human rights NGO, FairSquare, has also filed an ethics complaint about the Balogun incident to the International Olympic Committee, where Infantino is an elected member, alleging a breach of rules on political neutrality.
Original reporting: NBC6 Miami — read the source article.
