Donald Trump Admits Asking Gianni Infantino to Review Folarin Balogun Red Card

US President Donald Trump, pictured, has confirmed he asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to “review” a red card shown to USA striker Folarin Balogun, which has since been overturned (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

United States President Donald Trump has confirmed he personally asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to “review” USA striker Folarin Balogun’s red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was controversially overturned on Sunday.

Balogun was sent off after VAR reviewed a challenge he made in the last-32 match against Bosnia, with the dismissal thought to have meant an automatic ban for Monday night’s last-16 tie against Belgium.

President Trump has now confirmed he personally lobbied Infantino at an event on Monday, telling the FIFA president that Balogun’s challenge “was not a foul” and adding that the referee “is a little bit suspect”.

Trump said at the Oval Office on Monday: “I spoke to Gianni, who’s highly respected.

“I saw the play and I’m a person that loves sports and was a good athlete, and I understand sports really well, really well and that wasn’t a foul, that wasn’t even an infraction, that was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other.

“These were two great athletes that got tangled up and this referee, who is a little bit suspect, if you check his past. I don’t want to say that, because I don’t like to create controversy, but very suspect.

Donald Trump admits asking Gianni Infantino to review Folarin Balogun red card“He made a call that nobody could believe. He (Balogun) didn’t do anything wrong and he’s our best player, or one of our best players… and he (the referee) gave him a red card.