The Norwegian Football Federation is weighing a formal appeal to the ethics board of Fifa concerning the decision to pause Folarin Balogun’s mandatory one-match World Cup suspension. The American striker was initially set to miss the round-of-16 match against Belgium following a straight red card received during a victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina.
However, the ban was held in abeyance for a year following input from United States President Donald Trump, citing an obscure rule allowing for such reversals. Balogun subsequently played in the match, which resulted in a 4-1 win for Belgium. NFF president Lise Klaveness expressed significant apprehension regarding the matter, noting that the board will determine whether to lodge an official complaint during their upcoming meeting.
This potential action would join an existing inquiry into Fifa’s decision to award its inaugural Peace Prize to President Trump. Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee is facing pressure to examine Fifa president Gianni Infantino, who has been an IOC member since 2020. The Olympic charter mandates that members must remain free from external political interference. While the IOC maintains that ethics investigations are private, they have noted that any potential sanctions would be disclosed if finalized.
President Trump confirmed that he contacted Infantino to request a review of the call, though he maintained he did not instruct the organization on the final outcome. Both the Royal Belgian Football Federation and Uefa have sharply criticized the decision, with Uefa labeling the move an unprecedented and unjustifiable breach of sporting fairness.
