FIFA President Gianni Infantino issued a message this Monday, July 6, in response to the many reactions to Folarin Balogun's suspension. He recalled that the decision had been taken by the FIFA Independent Disciplinary Committee, a body that operated independently in accordance with the Disciplinary Code and whose judgements were based solely on established facts and regulations.
Infantino also confirmed that he had exchanged with US President Donald Trump about the 2026 World Cup. He said that during this conversation he merely indicated that a disciplinary procedure concerning Balogun was under way and that its outcome depended exclusively on FIFA's independent judicial bodies, without intervention by the organisation's president.
The world football boss has finally acknowledged that he sometimes does not share certain decisions of disciplinary bodies. However, he stressed that he consistently respected their autonomy, believing that the independence of judicial institutions and respect for the rule of law were essential principles for ensuring the integrity of competitions and the credibility of FIFA.
