Trump's Intervention in Folarin Balogun's Red Card Prompts FIFA to Review Suspension Rules Again

Overturning of Folarin Balogun's controversial red card after Trump's call with Gianni Infantino led FIFA to amend its suspension rules at Thursday's meeting.

Will Keane: President Trump drew the Trump card on the red card

Will Keane speaks passionately about FIFA's decision to overturn US soccer star Folarin Balogun's red card and allow him to play. The decision, upheld after Belgium's appeal was rejected, angered the Royal Belgian Football Association. Kane frames the race as the United States versus "the world," highlighting this debate.

It's been four months since Folarin Balogun's controversial red card suspension and the effects are still lingering.

In the USA Men's National Team's Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balogun, the USMNT's best player in the tournament at the time, received a questionable red card that automatically banned him for the next game against Belgium.

However, the day before the match, Balogun was eligible to play in the game. In the end, it didn't matter, as the U.S. lost 4-1.

US President Donald Trump admitted that he called FIFA president Gianni Infantino and asked for a review of the red card. Infantino and Trump have increased their relationship, which critics say is a conflict of interest.

Well, reports suggest that FIFA is set to revise the rules against red card bans during a big meeting on Thursday.

Infantino, eight vice-presidents and 28 other members will meet for the first time since the World Cup, and this is not the only controversy surrounding Infantino and FIFA.

Paris Saint-Germain's Luis Enrique hopes Man City will avoid sanctions after financial rules ruling

Nine days after the World Cup final, FIFA proposed details of a company called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) that would allow private investors to buy shares in the World Cup, a secret plan that was widely criticized and then quickly cancelled.

Balogun admitted to CBS that he "could almost see some nerves in my teammates" as the controversy grew.

"All I did was ask for a review because I didn't think it was an error," Trump said. "And again, I'm good at these things. I didn't think it was a foul. I thought it was two great athletes who crashed and got into a fight. It wasn't a guy punching somebody in the face or anything, it was different.

"I think it's terrible ... if they didn't let a top player, maybe the best, maybe among the best on the team, I think it would be a big stain. I passed it on. I didn't tell him what to do, I don't believe that he made this decision. "I think it was a committee that made a decision and they made the right decision because No. 1 was not a mistake and you want to see a game with your best players."

The president received the first FIFA Peace Prize at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., during the final draw for the World Cup in December. This award will also be reviewed in Thursday's meeting.

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