September 7 – The Belgian FA (RBFA) has become the latest national association to officially withdraw its support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, citing the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme and the fiasco surrounding US international Folarin Balogun.
During the World Cup, US President Donald Trump asked Infantino and FIFA to review the one-match suspension of US forward Balogun ahead of the Round of 16 match against Belgium. The suspension was reviewed, however, although FIFA said disciplinary committee chairman Mohammed Al Kamali made the decision, sparking a backlash over political interference and sporting integrity.
“Two months after the events, we note that our questions remain unanswered until now,” RBFA president Pascale Van Damme said in a statement. “Given the importance of transparency and clarity for all parties involved, we are seeking the necessary explanations and at the same time we want to explore where current processes can be improved, so that similar cases can be dealt with clearly, consistently and efficiently in the future.”
Van Damme, a member of the FIFA Council, faced criticism at home after he did not speak out during the tournament. Instead, he attended a FIFA reception with Trump and Infantino at Trump Tower in Manhattan on the eve of the World Cup final. Van Damme and the RBFA have called on FIFA to include the Balogun case on the agenda of the next FIFA Council meeting on October 15.
Infantino has faced sustained pressure over his plans to privatize the World Cup, which he was forced to abandon in early August. The RBFA said the FFE “raises questions about the transparency and governance of the process. We remain aligned with UEFA and jointly seek clear answers about the decision-making process and next steps.”
UEFA is seeking discovery, referring to FIFA and FFE documents, in various US courts, while FIFA, in response to UEFA’s statements, said the European body’s actions amounted to “a smear campaign”.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at (email protected)
