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FIFA President Gianni Infantino is at the centre of a major controversy after seventy-two members of the European Parliament demanded a formal inquiry into his role in the decision to lift United States striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension during the World Cup. The uproar follows reports that the suspension was overturned following direct intervention from the White House.

Lawmakers across Europe are insisting on full transparency regarding what they describe as undue political interference. The group of seventy-two MEPs has written to the heads of all twenty-seven European Union football associations, calling for an urgent investigation into the circumstances that allowed Balogun to avoid a red-card ban during the World Cup. Their demand follows claims that U.S. President Donald Trump personally contacted Infantino to lobby on behalf of the player.

In their letter, the MEPs wrote: “In light of the decision taken on Sunday to suspend the implementation of an automatic one-match suspension, we believe it is time for European Football Associations, all of whom are part of FIFA, to step in and request that FIFA examine the decision-making process. FIFA’s statutes and code of ethics provide a clear basis for member associations to demand such an inquiry.”

The European lawmakers have anchored their complaint on violations of FIFA’s long-standing rule of political neutrality. They argue that the organisation’s internal regulations, specifically designed to prevent government influence, were ignored in this case. Their letter cites specific articles in the FIFA Statutes and Code of Ethics that require officials to remain free from political or religious influence.

They further stated: “The principle of political neutrality is explicitly mentioned in both the FIFA Statutes and the Code of Ethics. Article 4(2) of the FIFA Statutes establishes that ‘FIFA remains neutral in matters of politics and religion’, while Article 15 of the Code of Ethics states that all football officials must stay politically neutral and provides sanctions for violations. Member associations must ensure these rules are enforced and that any breaches are addressed. We therefore urge you to support calls from MEPs and the Norwegian Football Federation for an investigation into Gianni Infantino’s interactions with President Trump. Such an inquiry must also examine how FIFA decided to overturn the ban on a player from the US men’s national team.”

Responding to the mounting criticism, Infantino has defended FIFA’s independence, stressing that its judicial bodies operate autonomously and are not subject to external pressure. While confirming that he had a conversation with President Trump, Infantino insisted he did not interfere in the disciplinary process and only explained how FIFA’s legal procedures function.

Infantino asserted: “FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They function autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide matters on the basis of existing regulations and facts. During my conversation with President Trump, I clarified that an independent legal process was underway and that the case would be resolved by the competent authorities. This is how FIFA’s system operates, and I will always defend that principle.”

Meanwhile, UEFA has strongly criticised the episode, arguing that the decision to lift the ban has damaged the credibility of the competition. Although Belgium went on to beat the USA 4-1 in their World Cup match, UEFA stated that the integrity of the tournament had already been compromised.

In a strongly-worded statement, UEFA said: “When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by those entrusted to uphold them, the integrity of the game is at risk and the competition’s credibility is undermined. Moreover, this ruling sets a precedent for the rest of the tournament, as similar cases will now require equal treatment, which could harm the fairness of the competition. We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unjustifiable decision.”