- Fifa has issued a statement defending referee Raphael Claus after US President Donald Trump branded him “suspect” for giving USA player Folarin Balogun a red card during a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Trump contacted Fifa president Gianni Infantino to request a review of the decision, leading Fifa to suspend the red card for a probationary period of one year.
- That means Balogun was cleared to play in the USA’s last-16 clash against Belgium, which the Americans lost 1-4.
- The intervention by Trump and Fifa's subsequent decision drew widespread condemnation from Uefa, Belgium's FA, and other footballing bodies, raising concerns about sporting integrity.
- Fifa’s statement called Claus a “leading professional referee” and expressed full confidence in his professionalism and integrity.
IN FULL
