Historic World Cup furor at FIFA decision to meet Trump’s wish and let US forward Balogun play

GENEVA (AP) — With the integrity of FIFA and the World Cup under attack from European soccer leaders, FIFA President Gianni Infantino acknowledged taking a call from U.S. President Donald Trump before United States star forward Folarin Balogun was cleared to play against Belgium later Monday.

Infantino insisted in a social media post that FIFA’s disciplinary committee acted with independence and judged cases such as Balogun’s on “applicable regulations and the specific facts.”

Balogun is free to face Belgium in the round of 16 later Monday in Seattle despite being sent off in the previous round which should have resulted in a mandatory one-game ban.

The Belgian soccer federation earlier said FIFA had not provided key documents for its appeal, and Norway’s federation said the lack of legal explanation from FIFA was “reason for concern regarding the integrity of the competition.”

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Graham Dunbar, The Associated Press