Euro MPs demand investigation into Trump-Infantino red card scandal
July 10 – European lawmakers for the third time in two weeks have sent a letter raising FIFA governance issues, and for a second time demanding that FIFA investigate its president, Gianni Infantino.
On Wednesday, 72 members of the European Parliament demanded an investigation into Infantino over the suspension of the red card handed to US striker Folarin Balogun.
The red card was suspended after US president Donald Trump had called Infantino directly, and enabled Balogun to play in the USA’s Round of 16 game against Belgium, which they lost 3-1.
The letter, sent to the 27 presidents of the EU football associations that are members of FIFA, urged them “to call for an investigation into whether FIFA President Gianni Infantino was involved in the decision to suspend the automatic one-match suspension … and if pressure from the US Administration was a factor in the decision.”
Infantino has somewhat disingenuously said that he wasn’t involved in the decision-making. Trump has boasted that he called Infantino to get the ban overturned.
“We feel that it is time for European Football Associations, all of whom are member associations of FIFA, to intervene and ask that FIFA investigate the aforementioned decision-making processes. FIFA’s statutory rules and code of ethics provide a very clear basis for member associations to intervene and demand an investigation… we contend … that member Associations are bound by FIFA’s code of ethics to demand that senior FIFA officials be held accountable if evidence exists to suggest they are breaching rules on political neutrality,” said the letter.
“Member associations have an important role to play in ensuring that rules are upheld and that those who break them are held accountable. In that regard, we urge you to add your voice to recent calls in support of an investigation into Gianni Infantino’s links to President Trump from MEPs and from the Norwegian Football Federation.”
Last week, 50 MEPs wrote to Infantino and the FIFA Council, calling on the FIFA Ethics Committee to investigate the awarding of the FIFA Peace Prize to President Trump and other potential breaches of political neutrality enshrined within the FIFA statutes.
That letter was followed two days later by one from Renew MEP Petras Auštrevičius and signed by 44 MEPs criticising FIFA over its decision to allow Russians to participate in the U-15 World Cup in October.
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