FIFA wrong to suspend USA player's ban, says Glenn Micallef
Football governing body suspended one-match ban after phone call between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump
European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef has joined a chorus of concern and outrage at the decision by FIFA to suspend the one-match ban of a United States player at the World Cup, saying it was the wrong decision.
Forward Folarin Balogun had been set to miss Monday's last-16 knockout clash with Belgium after receiving a straight red card following video review for stepping on the foot of a Bosnian defender in a round-of-32 clash that the US won 2-0.
But FIFA cleared Balogun to play after a personal phone call from President Donald Trump to the organisation's head Gianni Infantino, it emerged on Sunday, igniting a furious row that has rocked the tournament.
"Many football fans, including former players, have already spoken out about the suspension of Balogun. As a fan, I too believe it was the wrong decision," Micallef wrote on X.
"This said, I have always been clear. Decisions on sporting rules and sporting matters belong to sporting bodies, not politicians. Influencing sporting decisions would undermine the autonomy of sport.
Micallef said priority should be given to "the real governance challenges facing sport, including the weaponisation of sport for political purposes."
On Monday, European football governing body UEFA said FIFA had "crossed a red line" with its decision to allow Balogun to play.
"Yesterday’s decision to suspend for a probationary period of a year the implementation of the one-match automatic suspension following the red card issued to the player Folarin Balogun crossed a red line," read UEFA's strongly worded statement.
"Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not."
UEFA warned of the ramifications for the sport as a whole.
"Football is the most loved sport in the world because it is a beautiful game and is trusted because is played everywhere with the same laws," it said.
"A tournament is never a pure standalone and, if the tournament in question is the World Cup, it has the power to drive positive or negative consequences on the game as a whole.
"We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision."