Gianni Infantino reveals he told Donald Trump FIFA disciplinary body is 'independent'

[p]Trump confirmed Monday he had contacted FIFA chief Infantino about the red card that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/balgun-folarin/rVZLmUsU/"]Balogun[/a] -- the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/usa/fuitL4CF/"]US[/a] team's outstanding player at the World Cup -- received against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bosnia-herzegovina/fqe7WYTr/"]Bosnia-Herzegovina[/a] that would have ruled him out of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/belgium-GbB957na/usa-fuitL4CF/?mid=xhRXm8PG"]last-16 match[/a] with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a] on Monday.[/p][p]In a decision that stunned the football world, FIFA said Sunday it was suspending the card, allowing Balogun to play in the game in Seattle.[/p][p]"[b]I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA's independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies[/b]," Infantino said in a statement.[/p][p]Trump told reporters at the White House he had called Infantino, with whom he has built a close relationship, "because I didn't think it was a foul".[/p][p]"All I did was ask for a review, I didn't say you have to do this," Trump added.[/p][embed guid="a636de09-6e49-4b64-bbc5-c7a11137cdf2" url="https://x.com/fifamedia/status/2074160315562885122" social-type="twitter" /][p]Balogun received a straight red card following a video review for stepping on a Bosnia-Herzegovina defender's foot in the round-of-32 match that the US won 2-0.[/p][p]Under FIFA rules, a straight red card automatically triggers a one-game ban.[/p][p]But FIFA says the ban will now be suspended for a year, in a decision that sparked widespread condemnation from the football world.[/p][p]Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said he thought it was an April Fool's joke, while Norway's coach Stale Solbakken said it was "a big mistake" by FIFA.[/p][p]Infantino added that he often discussed events at the World Cup with Trump.[/p][p]"[b]I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump[/b]," he said.[/p][p]"[b]Just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues[/b]."[/p][p]Infantino said he always read the decisions handed down and "[b]sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree[/b]".[/p][p]“[b]What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them[/b]," he said.[/p]