Politics
‘Profoundly corrupt’: The EU’s leading FIFA critic sharpens his attack
FIFA’s leading critic in the European Parliament told Blue Light News that the decision to lift a key American player’s one-game suspension was the latest example of an “unbroken pattern” of nontransparent governance in world football’s governing body.
Last week, centrist Irish MEP Barry Andrews penned a letter urging FIFA to investigate its president, Gianni Infantino, over four public statements he made in support of U.S. President Donald Trump last year, which allegedly undermined the body’s political neutrality.
On Monday, after FIFA lifted the ban on American striker Folarin Balogun following a call from Trump to Infantino, Blue Light News sat down with Andrews to discuss how the governing body’s latest decision adds fuel to his criticism.
FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Andrews’ latest rebuke, but Infantino released a statement Monday denying allegations that he influenced the decision to lift Balogun’s suspension.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What was your first reaction when you heard the news that Trump had got involved in Balogun’s case?
It confirms, in my view, that FIFA is a profoundly corrupt organization. Unfortunately, there’s a decadeslong litany of examples of how FIFA has corrupted sport at the highest level. It’s just a further chapter in that litany, unfortunately, and we need to figure out ways to try to put pressure on FIFA to reverse this decision.
MEP Petras Auštrevičius told Blue Light News on Friday that FIFA is “not any longer a neutral sports organization.” Do you agree?
Is it not really a lawless organization? The decisions around awarding the World Cup to Qatar and Russia have been demonstrated to be the subject of massive bribery of officials in the executive committee of FIFA and also the confederations across the world. So, unfortunately, what we’re seeing with the recent example of Infantino just proves that this is an unbroken pattern over many decades. When Sepp Blatter was [FIFA president], he had no restraint on his politicization of the role, but Infantino, if it’s possible, is worse.
Blatter said this morning that “football must never become a playground for political power.”
If Blatter thinks it’s corrupt, we’re dealing with towering levels of malpractice.
What do you think the European response should be here?
There’s a lot of people who say “politics and sport don’t mix,” but we’re dealing with an organization that is so powerful. Therefore, we should make a very clear statement on it. There’s a limit on what we can do, but I think we have to be very explicit on denouncing what has happened in this situation since Sunday.
Are you going to be watching the U.S.-Belgium game tonight?
I’ll be watching it. I’m disappointed with everything about the way the U.S. has [conducted the World Cup]. It’s not the fault of the U.S. players, but you just can’t help yourself. You couldn’t imagine what would happen if the U.S. won the tournament.
President Donald Trump said earlier Monday that he didn’t know what a red card was before last Wednesday’s U.S.-Bosnia match.
But FIFA President Gianni Infantino actually gave him a lesson on soccer’s disciplinary system during a 2018 Oval Office meeting after the United States secured the right to co-host the 2026 World Cup.
During the visit, which followed the successful United Bid, Infantino explained the sport’s use of yellow and red cards before pulling one of each out from a case.
“In soccer we have referees and they have cards: yellow cards and red cards,” Infantino told Trump. “Yellow card is a warning, and when you want to kick out someone, a red card. Like this!”
Trump appeared amused by the demonstration.
“I like that,” he said picking up the red card and holding it up. “Thank you.”
Infantino then joked that the cards might come in handy beyond the soccer field.
“That could be used for, I don’t know, the next media session,” he said.
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The news that Folarin Balogun would be eligible to suit up against Belgium Monday night was met with near-universal celebration across the country.
Just don’t ask the Belgian fans living here.
Blue Light News caught up with several of them at the Belgian embassy’s watch party at Wunder Garten, a trendy bar in Washington’s NoMa neighbourhood.,
“I had to keep up my vomiting,” said Johan Hamels, an Ottawa resident from Leuven in Washington on a business trip. “Rules are rules. Every team is briefed by FIFA. And for every game, it’s in one of their slides. That you get a red card, you’re off next time.”
Balogun was given a red card in the Americans’ Round of 32 matchup last week against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which typically carries a suspension for the following game. But FIFA suspended his ban on Sunday.
Critics have charged that the White House pressured FIFA into making the switch. European politicians have slammed Balogun’s inclusion, and the Royal Belgian Football Association formally challenged FIFA’s reversal on Monday morning.
And while FIFA insists the ruling had nothing to do with politics, President Donald Trump is taking credit for getting Balogun back on the field.
“I’m Belgian,” said Win Van Dijck, a native of Brussels who has lived in the U.S. for the last five years. “So I appreciate surrealism. But it’s just too much.”
It’s another example of Trump pulling the strings in a tournament that has increasingly strayed into the political arena, they say.
“Having it reversed based on a call from the American God is a little bit lack of workmanship. And it’s sad for the kids here because that’s what they see as an example,” said Brigitte, a retiree who came to the U.S. in 1984.
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