EU Parliamentarians Seek Probe of FIFA President Infantino

Dozens of European Parliament members are seeking support to initiate an investigation into FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The probe centers on Infantino's alleged involvement in the decision to allow U.S. striker Folarin Balogun to play despite an earlier red card suspension. Balogun received a red card during a match on July 1, which typically renders a player ineligible for the subsequent game. However, FIFA lifted his suspension for a match played on Monday, following an intervention by U.S. President Donald Trump with Infantino on behalf of the 25-year-old striker.

European Parliament lawmakers Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters, and Niels Fuglsang issued a joint statement condemning FIFA's decision to alter the red card suspension rules mid-tournament. They described the move as "a disgrace and a perversion of justice" and stated that "Infantino and FIFA surrender to the demands of the Trump administration." The lawmakers are urging the national football associations of EU countries to prompt the FIFA Ethics Committee to investigate Infantino. Their concerns include whether pressure from the Trump administration influenced the lifting of Balogun's suspension and "other potential breaches of political neutrality," such as awarding Trump the FIFA Peace Prize.

According to the lawmakers, 35 colleagues have already signed a letter supporting the call for an investigation. They emphasized that "the beauty of sport is that it is based on impartial and transparent rules." The statement further articulated that when Infantino permits "political pressure to determine who gets to play, this sense of fairness goes out the window." FIFA has maintained that the decision to lift Balogun's suspension was made by a disciplinary committee. This development was originally reported by Fortune.com.