U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that he asked FIFA to review the suspension of American striker Folarin Balogun during the FIFA World Cup.
According to his statement, Trump spoke with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, expressing his dissatisfaction with the red card shown to the 25-year-old during the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Trump argued that the incident did not constitute a foul, describing the referee’s decision as incorrect and insisting the challenge did not warrant such a punishment.
“I watched the match. It wasn’t a foul. They were two players running at full speed and they accidentally collided,” Trump said during remarks at the White House.
Earlier, FIFA made the unusual decision to overturn Balogun’s one-match suspension, allowing him to play in the Round of 16 clash against Belgium.
The decision has sparked mixed reactions across the football world, including from the Belgian Football Federation, which has requested an official explanation from football’s governing body.
