A group of 72 members of the European Parliament has called on FIFA to investigate whether its president, Gianni Infantino, played a role in overturning US striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension ahead of a World Cup match against Belgium.
In a letter to the football associations of the EU’s 27 Member States, the lawmakers urged them to press for an inquiry into whether Infantino was involved in the decision and whether pressure from the US administration influenced the outcome.
They wrote that an investigation was needed to establish whether the FIFA president had a hand in lifting the automatic one-match ban imposed after Balogun’s red card, and whether political interference had affected the process.
Balogun was sent off in the United States’ match against Bosnia and Herzegovina and was therefore automatically suspended for Monday’s last-16 tie against Belgium.
However, the forward was ultimately allowed to play after FIFA converted the punishment into a suspended ban.
US President Donald Trump has publicly said he called Infantino to ask him to “review” the red card.
The MEPs argue that, under FIFA’s code of ethics, European football associations are obliged to demand accountability from senior FIFA officials if there is evidence suggesting a breach of the organisation’s rules on political neutrality.
The letter was signed by MEPs from a range of political groups, including Belgian lawmakers Yvan Verougstraete, Hilde Vautmans, Bruno Tobback, Saskia Bricmont and Elio Di Rupo.
Last week, 50 MEPs had already written to FIFA calling for an investigation into its decision to award a first FIFA peace prize to Donald Trump, as well as other possible breaches of political neutrality.
They say they have so far received no satisfactory response.
