Norway soccer president to file ethics complaint over USMNT red card overturn that included Trump appeal: ‘We all know’ - New York Post

What the report says

The New York Post reported that Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness plans to ask her board to pursue a formal ethics complaint over FIFA’s decision to lift a one-match World Cup suspension for United States striker Folarin Balogun. Klaveness told The Times of London, according to the Post, that FIFA president Gianni Infantino should acknowledge the ruling was a mistake and said she believed the process was affected by outside pressure.

The dispute stems from the USMNT’s Round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, in which Balogun received a red card after stepping on Tarik Muharemovic’s ankle. He was initially banned for one game, but FIFA later suspended the punishment, allowing him to play in the Round of 16 against Belgium. The Post reported that the United States lost that match 4-1.

According to the Post, FIFA cited Article 27 of its disciplinary code, which permits the organization to fully or partly suspend a disciplinary measure. The article also said the reversal followed contact between U.S. President Donald Trump and Infantino. Klaveness criticized both the substance and the handling of the decision, arguing that bending disciplinary rules in response to political pressure would endanger confidence in the sport’s governance.

Klaveness also objected to the decision being made by FIFA disciplinary committee chair Mohammad Al Kamali alone, saying a case involving a powerful outside voice required broader review. The matter matters beyond one player because it raises questions about FIFA’s independence, consistency in discipline, and how football bodies respond when political leaders intervene.