Brussels, Jul 08 (V7N)- A group of 35 members of the European Parliament has called for an independent investigation into the role of FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the world football governing body's decision-making process, citing allegations of bias and political influence during the ongoing FIFA World Cup.
In a letter expected to gain broader support across the 27-member European Union, the lawmakers urged European countries to work together to safeguard the transparency and credibility of the tournament. They argued that the decision-making process surrounding the Balogan disciplinary case, in particular, requires an impartial investigation.
European Parliament members Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters, and Nils Fuglsang issued a joint statement criticizing FIFA's handling of the incident.
"FIFA's decision to change the red-card ban midway through the tournament is a shameful development and a miscarriage of justice. We have once again seen Infantino and FIFA capitulate to the demands of the Trump administration. The beauty of football lies in fair and transparent rules. When political pressure determines the playing field, fairness is lost."
The controversy stems from a World Cup match in Bosnia and Herzegovina last week, during which United States striker Balogan was shown a straight red card. U.S. President Donald Trump later described the decision as "unfair." FIFA subsequently suspended Balogan's ban under a legal provision, triggering fresh criticism over the governing body's disciplinary process.
The incident has added to a series of refereeing controversies that have emerged during the ongoing FIFA World Cup. European lawmakers said their proposed investigation would examine whether political pressure, commercial interests, sponsor influence, or other external factors affected FIFA's decision-making and the integrity of the competition.
FIFA has not yet publicly responded to the lawmakers' latest call for an investigation.
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