Norway Soccer Federation Considers Complaining to FIFA Over Trump Intervention
The role of former U.S. President Donald Trump in overturning Folarin Balogun’s one-game suspension at the World Cup may lead to a formal complaint to FIFA ethics investigators. The Norway soccer federation announced that its board will evaluate filing the complaint in a meeting likely to occur on August 6.
Norwegian federation president Lise Klaveness told The Times that FIFA must acknowledge the decision as an error. After Trump contacted FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino, Balogun’s suspension for a red-card foul against Bosnia-Herzegovina was delayed, allowing him to play against Belgium in a crucial match.
This decision contributed to a turbulent 36 hours at the World Cup, ending with Belgium defeating the U.S. 4-1. Trump described the referee’s red card for Balogun, reviewed via video, as a ‘horrible’ decision and took pride in leading to FIFA’s review, which Klaveness criticized as lacking in proper procedure.
Klaveness, who serves on UEFA’s executive committee, emphasized that altering established rules threatens the integrity of soccer. She expressed concerns over compromising the fundamental rules of the game, stressing a potential risk to soccer worldwide.
The Norwegian federation has previously been involved in a London-based NGO complaint against Infantino for alleged breaches of political neutrality, including an incident where Trump was awarded a peace prize during the World Cup draw.
FairSquare, a human rights NGO, also submitted a complaint about the Balogun case to the International Olympic Committee, citing breaches of its political neutrality standards, as Infantino is an elected IOC member.
FIFA and the IOC typically refrain from acknowledging or updating ongoing cases within their ethics bodies. Questions regarding the independence of FIFA’s ethics processes arose after personnel changes in 2017, during Infantino’s presidency. FIFA has yet to release documents explaining the rationale behind Balogun’s or other players’ disciplinary verdicts at the World Cup.
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