EU lawmakers call for investigation of FIFA boss over Trump contact before US-Belgium match

BRUSSELS (AP) — Dozens of European lawmakers are gathering support to launch an investigation in the European Parliament of FIFA boss Gianni Infantino over his involvement in the decision to permit U.S. striker Folarin Balogun to play despite an earlier red card.

Balogun was shown a red card during the U.S. victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the World Cup on July 1, which normally would make him ineligible to play in the team’s next game, but FIFA lifted his suspension for a match on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump intervened with Infantino on behalf of the 25-year-old striker.

European Parliament lawmakers Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters and Niels Fuglsang said in a joint statement that the decision by soccer’s world governing body to “change the rule on red card suspensions mid-tournament is a disgrace and a perversion of justice.”

“Once again, we’ve seen Infantino and FIFA surrender to the demands of the Trump administration,” the statement said.

The lawmakers are asking the national football associations of the EU countries to spur the FIFA Ethics Committee to investigate Infantino and whether pressure from the Trump administration was a factor in the lifting of the suspension, as well as “other potential breaches of political neutrality” like awarding Trump the FIFA Peace Prize.

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FIFA has said the lifting of the suspension was the decision of a disciplinary committee.

The lawmakers said that 35 colleagues have so far signed the letter.

“The beauty of sport is that it is based on impartial and transparent rules. When Infantino allows political pressure to determine who gets to play, this sense of fairness goes out the window,” they said.