FIFA under fire over allegations Trump had red card suspension overturned | ABC NEWS

Sportsmanship is in question at the Football World Cup after FIFA overturned a red card given to one of the USA's star players.Forward Filarin Balogun was sent off for a bad tackle in America's last match, meaning he would miss the next game against Belgium.There are multiple reports today that a call was put in to FIFA from the White House.FIFA then reviewed the decision in the USA's favour.President Trump then thanked FIFA for doing what was right.It's all raised questions about FIFA's rules and the extent, if any, of political pressure on the beautiful game.

Well, let's discuss it with Industry Professor of Sport and Media at the University of Queensland, Tracey Holmes.Tracey, hi there, nice to see you.What did you make of it all, Tracey?

I think, you know, the same as many people.When I woke up this morning and heard the news that this red card had been rescinded and the player was allowed to take part in the next match, outrage because you think how can this happen this is completely against the rules but on further examination you see that in fact there is a rule that is there article 27 that says these sorts of penalties can be reviewed by the judicial committee of FIFA and in fact overturned and the player is given a probationary period which is what has happened here but I guess when you overlay that with the politics of the US at the moment the propensity for Donald Trump to to take credit for all sorts of things, whether he's been involved or not.All of that just plays into the swirling muddy waters around the incident.

Have FIFA ever done this before?

Well, they have.In fact, they did this with Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, who was given a red card in November of last year.and the judicial committee of FIFA rescinded that.They put him on a probationary period.The extended circumstances around that was that Portugal relies on Cristiano Ronaldo.and the US Football Association approached us and asked us to look at this situation which they're entitled to do but we haven't seen that level of clarity.

It's the murky waters isn't it between politics and sports and Gianni Infantino has crossed those waters in some degree.He was there when the Board of Peace of President Trump was announced.He gave President Trump this Peace Medal and some would say he idolises the President.Do you think that that how Infantino has behaved has made this situation even more tricky.

It's definitely made it tricky and we're relating or relying on some of that transparency to come forward.I think I've discussed this before with other people about the FIFA Peace Prize.I think what's so interesting is that nobody heard of the FIFA Peace Prize before.It doesn't exist.It's not really worth very much.It was awarded to Donald Trump.

And you have to admit that having the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, as this one is, came with all sorts of potential problems, given the political situation inside the US.So I don't have a problem in the President of FIFA trying to find as many ways as possible to try and guarantee that as least problems as possible occurred during this FIFA World Cup, and maybe this was one of the ways of doing that.Is it nice?Is it good?Is it bad?No, it's not.

But there are extenuating circumstances around the whole geopolitical environment at the moment.And being the president of FIFA would not be an easy one.

And it's all about money.I mean, we've seen that criticism of FIFA with the hydration breaks, which clearly have just become ad breaks.What sort of financial impact did what FIFA has done today have on things like the betting market?markets.

Well, this is the other thing, an absolute surge on the betting market, a complete reversal, if you like, because of the news of the player now being able to take to the pitch after initially being given a red card.And we have to consider all of these things as well.Every single factor plays in when you're talking about the FIFA World Cup.I mean, there was a match the other day between Cabo Verde and Argentina, where one in three people on the planet was watching.I don't know how many people in the planet were betting.But these are all the factors that play into what is one of the most extraordinary, perhaps the most extraordinary event that takes place on a regular basis around the globe.

And that brings all sorts of power dynamics with it.And with those power dynamics, that is where people do have to stand up and say, OK, so what do the rules say?What are they entitled to do?Where's the transparency and clarity around these rules?And everything kind of stems back to there because these are ethical problems that people are considering and questions that people are asking.