Gianni Infantino issues strongly worded statement addressing Folarin Balogun's red card suspension

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has released a statement regarding the decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's red card ahead of the United States' World Cup round of 16 clash against Belgium.

Balogun was shown a straight red card during the US's round of 16 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday (July 2) after he inadvertently stood on the ankle of Tarik Muhamremovic.

As a result, the 25-year-old Monaco striker, who has scored three goals at this summer's World Cup and is widely regarded as one of their best forwards, was given an automatic one-match ban.

However, in an extraordinary turn of events, it was announced on Sunday (July 5) that Balogun's red card ban has been suspended for a year, meaning he is now available to play in Monday's game against Belgium in Seattle.

FIFA referred to Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which allows it to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction.

However, the decision to essentially overturn Balogun's red card has been met with considerable outrage, with the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) confirming in a statement that it was "astonished" by the development.

"In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options," added the RBFA.

Trump and Infantino are close friends. Image credit: Getty

On Monday, US president Donald Trump confirmed that he contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ask for the red card to be reviewed. In fact, he claimed, "I'm the one that got them to do it", according to Sky News.

READ MORE: Donald Trump calls referee 'very suspect' as he addresses Folarin Balogun situation in White House speech

Gianni Infantino issues statement addressing backlash over Folarin Balogun's red card suspension

Just days after FIFA confirmed that Balogun's automatic one-match ban would be suspended for a year, Gianni Infantino has addressed the situation in a statement published on UEFA's social media channels.

Here, he confirmed his chat with President Trump regarding the decision.

Infantino said: “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.

“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.

“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.

"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.

“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.

“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.”