World Cup nation to make official complaint over Donald Trump involvement at tournament

A World Cup nation is set to make an official complaint over Donald Trump’s interference in the tournament, according to an association president.

Despite only attending one match during the tournament, where he handed out the medals and the World Cup trophy to Spain and Argentina’s players and staff after the final, Trump has still managed to cause a stir.

The US President caused outrage when he admitted to contacting FIFA president Gianni Infantino over Folarin Balogun’s red card.

The USA striker was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32. Such an offence would usually result in a one-match ban, ruling a player out of the subsequent match.

However, FIFA decided to suspend the American’s ban for a period of 12 months and, in doing so, cleared him to play in the round-of-16 tie against Belgium.

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Despite widespread outrage and a number of furious statements from the Belgian FA and UEFA, which accused FIFA of “crossing a red line” by making an “incomprehensible and unjustifiable” decision, the ruling was upheld and Balogun played against Belgium.

On Tuesday (July 21), La Liga president Javier Tebas urged FIFA president Infantino to resign after “destroying the football industry”.

Speaking to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, he said: “In my opinion, yes, I think his [Infantino’s] time is up.

“However, he has the support of the system, of the federations, so there's not much more to add, is there? There's no opposition candidate; nobody wants to stand just to lose. This is the system, and it's a system rotten at its core.”

Infantino is currently serving his fourth term as FIFA president, with the next election set for 2027.

Norway to launch FIFA complaint over Trump interference

Despite the World Cup being over, Norwegian FA president Lise Klaveness has confirmed the association will make a formal complaint to FIFA’s Ethics Committee over Trump’s interference in the Balogun saga, having previously lodged a complaint over the awarding of the FIFA Peace Prize, which Trump received in December.

Speaking to The Times, Klaveness called on Infantino to admit FIFA made an error regarding the Balogun case.

Klaveness said: “When you bend a rule like this, you’re on a slippery slope that will put the whole game at risk. It is a worry for the game when you compromise fundamental rules of the game.

“First of all, it should not have happened. It is very important now to have honest communication around it. We all know that this verdict was influenced from external forces and did not have the proper process.

“We need our leader in Fifa to say that this was an error.

“If you start to adapt in such a way towards state leaders and state politics, you will move your behaviour and the organisation’s behaviour, and also the red line of what states’ leaders should interfere with. And that happened.”

She added: “When you make controversial decisions, and when there has been an external, very powerful voice in your ear, it’s very important that you have more voices [making the decision]. And if you don’t, it’s a mistake.

“This case was so serious and so worrying that I hope that it might contribute to bring people out a little bit and don’t fear to bring up cases. I will bring it to a board meeting and discuss with my board, and then we do it. To me, it should be in the same sphere of ethical complaint.”