WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump intervened on behalf of American star forward Folarin Balogun, whose suspension was lifted in a decision that allows him to play in a World Cup match against Belgium on Monday.
Balogun, the American leader with three goals, received a red card for stepping awkwardly on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemović of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 2-0 round of 32 win on Wednesday. A red card triggers an automatic one-game suspension.
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.
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was "astonished" and Belgium coach Rudi Garcia mocked FIFA’s action.
"I didn’t know that in the offices of FIFA the 5th of July was the 1st of April in Europe," Garcia said through a translator in an April Fools’ Day comparison. "The Belgian federation does not defend itself, it does not protect the national team, She defends football in general, she defends her integrity, her ethics. I think it’s the first time in the history of the World Cup that there is this kind of decision."
