That's crazy.
FIFA announced Sunday that the suspension had been lifted, triggering praise from Trump and outrage from Belgium’s team.
Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino after the game asking FIFA review the red card, according to a person familiar with the call who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” Trump said in a statement on social media.
How does something like this happen at the World Cup? Does anyone have an answer?
A red card like this has NEVER been overturned, ever in World Cup history!!!
FIFA has a very corrupt past. Bribes, racketeering, money laundering, vote buying, etc.
• 2015 U.S. Department of Justice indictments
Multiple FIFA officials were charged with racketeering, wire fraud, and bribery.
• World Cup bidding scandals
Investigations into 1998, 2006, 2010, 2018, and 2022 found evidence of vote‑buying and secret payments.
• Sepp Blatter era
Blatter was suspended and later banned for ethics violations.
• Michel Platini payment scandal
Platini and Blatter were banned over an improper payment deemed unethical.
• Transparency International reports
FIFA has repeatedly ranked among the least transparent global organizations.
Does it really surprise anyone really that Trump has no respect for the rules?
Too bad now that any win now will be sullied by his meddling.
No. But also, Trump isn't the first leader calling on FIFA or UEFA to revoke/suspend red cards that were clearly a mistake to have been given. That has happened many times before. Similar stories for calls to revoke erroneously given goals (Henry's "goal" vs Ireland, anyone?)
However, he is the first one to succeed.
Given Infantino's hard-on for Trump, I'm not even terribly surprised.
Neither am I surprised that everyone is latching onto Trump as opposed to FIFA. There's just too much pent up demand for ranting about orange guy bad when the real shitbags in this case are sitting at FIFA.
Not denying that. However, my thinking is, it reflects badly on the team anytime the referee's decision is challenged. In this case, it was not FIFA that challenged the call, but Trump. It is fair to criticise him for that.
Every single soccer match ever played had and will have some element uncertainty around a referee's decision. This is an accepted part of the game that most people learn to accept and carry on playing. Not so for Trump, I guess. Honestly, I hope all the best for the team. I'm just sorry they had to get tangled up in this nonsense.
Dos that surprise you?
What I am pointing out is that Trump is by far not the only one to do so. But everyone is acting as if this is the first time in the entire history that anyone dared ask to revoke a red card.
Hate Trump all you want, there should be enough reasons. But the bad actors allowing this are with FIFA.
Balogun should skip the match and instead record a short video explaining to the President why he’s an American citizen in the first place. He can end it with: “I’m sure Captain America has this covered.”
Interesting. Would he be under the birthright category of citizens?
yep
Folarin Balogun’s Red Card Was Suspended. His Citizenship Is Debated.
It happens in about the same way as inventing a peace prize to give to Trump after not winning the one from Norway.
All it needs for such a centralized, corrupt org to do it is one big fanboi in the top spot.
rigged
This is crazy ...I've never seen this happen.