Gianni Infantino responds to Folarin Balogun red-card review, says he spoke to Donald Trump | OneFootball

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has responded to the annulment of Folarin Balogun’s red card and confirmed he spoke with Donald Trump.

Balogun was sent off in the round of 32 against Bosnia, a match the United States won 2-0. According to L'Équipe, after a review the dismissal has been overturned and he is eligible to face Belgium on Tuesday at two am.

The move followed a weekend of intense reaction after Sunday’s announcement of a re-examination, with the Belgian federation, UEFA and Donald Trump among those to weigh in.

In a statement, Infantino said FIFA’s judicial bodies operate independently and autonomously, applying the Disciplinary Code to the specific facts they receive. He added that their independence is essential to football’s credibility and integrity and must always be respected.

He said he regularly discusses FIFA World Cup matters with the President of the United States and had received a call from Donald Trump about the case, as he does from heads of state, government officials, football figures and business leaders on a range of topics.

Infantino added that he learns of FIFA Disciplinary Committee decisions only when they are published. They can surprise him, he sometimes agrees and sometimes does not, but he always respects the rulings and the autonomy of those bodies, noting that adherence to independent institutions and the rule of law safeguards competition integrity and FIFA’s credibility.

Source: L'Équipe