Josef Blatter: 'If the US president interferes in the affairs of the FIFA head, the question arises: where is the organization heading?'

Football should never turn into a platform for political games, former FIFA President Josef Blatter stated on the social network X, commenting on the replacement of the suspension of the US national team player with a probationary period before the World Cup playoff match.

FIFA on July 5 allowed the top scorer of the US national team, Folarin Balogun, to play in the round of 16 against Belgium, although he was supposed to serve a one-match suspension for receiving a direct red card in the previous match. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee gave the forward a one-year probationary period.

GiveMeSport wrote that the White House called FIFA regarding Balogun.

Blatter stated that red cards "are not canceled by political phone calls — they are canceled by rules, evidence, and independent bodies."

"If the US president interferes in the affairs of the FIFA president and a player suddenly receives an acquittal before a World Cup playoff match, the question is inevitable: where are you heading, FIFA?" Blatter wrote.