The written rules of the world body strongly prohibit any kind of political interference in the sport.
USA striker Folarin Balogun is free to play Belgium on Monday after Fifa intervened. Picture: Jamie Squire / Getty Images North America / Getty Images via AFP
By the time you read this, the Fifa World Cup last-16 match between the United States and Belgium will be history… but the bitter taste of political interference will remain long afterwards and will be one of the standout memories of this year’s tournament.
That’s because the King of the World – sorry, US President Donald Trump – thought he could make some kind of a deal with Fifa (he’s the best in the world at deals by his own estimates) to get the world football body to suspend the one-match ban on US star striker Folarin Balogun, who collected a mandatory red card in the match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Trump just picked up the phone to Fifa chief Gianni Infantino and the matter was settled, out of the public eye, by the boys.
But, while that may be how Trump does things – and even how Fifa, a consummate boys’ club, rolls – the written rules of the world body strongly prohibit any kind of political interference in the sport.
This phone call clearly qualifies.
Anyone else who gets a red card ban can now argue for it to be suspended.
That could make things awkward right up to the final on 19 July.
