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Shkruar nga Pamfleti
FIFA President Gianni Infantino broke his silence on the federation's decision to overturn a red card given to American striker Folarin Balogun last week, a controversial move that came after lobbying from President Trump.
“ I have seen the public comments regarding the decision of the FIFA Independent Disciplinary Committee regarding the suspension of Folarin Balogun and I would like to reiterate a fundamental principle of FIFA governance. FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They act autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code and decide on cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them. Their independence is essential for the credibility and integrity of football and this must always be respected ,” Infantino said in a statement released on Monday.
The FIFA chief acknowledged that he spoke to Trump about the call against Balogun, which was widely criticized as too harsh by American fans, and told the president that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA's independent judicial bodies and that the matter would be decided in due course by the competent authorities.
" That's how the FIFA system works and it's a principle that I will always support. I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I'm surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them and sometimes I don't. However, what I always do is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not, that doesn't matter. Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and the credibility of FIFA at all times ," he said.
FIFA is facing corruption charges over the upset, which occurred just a day before the U.S. faces Belgium in Seattle in the World Cup knockout round.
The Belgian Football Federation said it was "surprised" by the decision and filed an appeal to have the decision overturned on Monday.
Trump, during a press conference on Monday, said the red card given to Balogun was "terrible" and praised Infantino, who has done his best to endear himself to the Trump administration ahead of this summer's tournament.
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