FIFA president Gianni Infantino has denied interfering in the decision that allowed United States forward Folarin Balogun to remain eligible for the FIFA World Cup, insisting the ruling was made independently by the organisation’s judicial bodies.
In a statement issued amid growing criticism of FIFA’s handling of the case, Infantino stressed that the world football governing body’s disciplinary and judicial bodies operate independently and are responsible for deciding cases based on FIFA regulations and the facts before them.
“FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them,” Infantino said.
He acknowledged speaking with U.S. President Donald Trump about the matter but rejected suggestions that the conversation influenced the outcome.
According to Infantino, he informed the U.S. president that there was an ongoing legal process and that the matter would be determined by FIFA’s independent judicial bodies.
“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold,” he said.
Infantino added that while he sometimes agrees and sometimes disagrees with decisions taken by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, he always respects their autonomy.
“I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree.
“What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant. Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and the credibility of FIFA at all times.”
The statement follows criticism from UEFA, the Royal Belgian Football Association and former FIFA president Sepp Blatter over the decision to suspend the implementation of Balogun’s one-match suspension, allowing him to feature in the United States’ World Cup Round of 16 match against Belgium.
