U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on July 6 (local time) that he requested the president of FIFA to reconsider the controversial decision to suspend U.S. national soccer team striker Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco) from the North and Central American World Cup.
When asked by a reporter during the launch event for the Trump Savings Account at the Oval Office, President Trump stated that he had asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the decision regarding Balogun.
President Trump expressed his view that the situation in which Balogun was ejected during the match was not a foul, but rather a collision between players.
FIFA notified the U.S. Soccer Federation the previous day that it would suspend the enforcement of the one-match ban imposed on Balogun for one year.
Balogun, a striker for the U.S. national team, received a red card for stepping on an opposing player's ankle during the North and Central American World Cup Round of 32 match between the U.S. and Bosnia and Herzegovina, held at the Bay Area Stadium in San Francisco on July 2.
As a result, he was ineligible to play in the Round of 16 match against Belgium on July 6.
However, with FIFA reversing Balogun's suspension and reports emerging that President Trump had spoken with FIFA President Infantino beforehand, critics have raised concerns that FIFA lost its impartiality under pressure from President Trump.