Blog: FIFA's decision to rescind Balogun's suspension after a call from Trump is shameful and corrupt

Everything the U.S. accomplishes from here on out comes attached with an asterisk.

Folarun Balogun, who has been the Americans’ best player in this current World Cup, will play against Belgium tonight, and I find it sickening.

I find it sickening because the U.S. government, and President Trump, got personally involved and reached out to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and asked (demanded?) that Balogun’s one-game suspension after a red card be rescinded.

I don’t question the very real possibility it was a lousy call from the start. Or that the process for determining the decision to suspend was questionable. But the moment you have governments – in this case, the government of the host country – calling in favors from the same people who gave Trump that bogus peace prize, you have a serious problem.

Look, I’m like a lot of you: I pay attention to international soccer once every couple of years, either during the Olympics or the World Cup. I don’t claim any special expertise on the sport, although like so many observers, I thought the red card and resulting suspension were harsh and wrong-headed. In my view, it was worthy of a yellow card at most, especially during a hyper-physical game against Bosnia when it appeared the referee had completely misplaced his yellow card.

Like a lot of you, I have no issue with the U.S. Men’s National Team raising hell about the decision or appealing the call. What I have an issue with is the U.S. government getting involved. What I have an issue with is Trump and his cronies reaching out to the spineless Infantino and demanding a second look at the suspension.

Now, if the U.S. should continue to win, anything they accomplish will come with a giant bold-faced asterisk.

In the end, we have this feel-good American story on the 250^th anniversary of the country’s birth, being hijacked by the powers that be in the Trump administration and FIFA.

Yes, red card suspensions have been lifted previously, including Ronaldo’s two-game suspension that was supposed to carry his team through the firs ttwo games of group play.

Here, though, is the elemental difference: In Ronaldo’s case, and all the other cases when suspensions have been lifted, the team’s governments did not get involved in what now appears to be a completely bogus process.

And before you say, “Well, you’re a liberal blowhard,” I’d have said precisely the same thing if former President Barack Obama had tried to pull off a similar trick – although, we all know that would never happen.

I’m hearing a lot of “the ends justify the means” nonsense in the past 12-24 hours. Yes, this was a right call. As I mentioned, the foul wasn’t worthy of a red card (and again, I’m no expert). But if it was going to be changed, it needed to be changed through proper channels, with the U.S. program appealing to FIFA without the aid of President Trump and his people. I’ll be very curious tonight to see how FOX TV’s analysts handle this outrage, whether they take issue with it (as they should) or whether they kowtow to the American audience who are thrilled to see Balogun back on the field.

At last check, around 9 in the morning, Belgium was being given an opportunity to appeal, but I don’t see this turning back the other way. Trump has spoken. Infantino has spoken.

I know I’m supposed to be a good American and continue to root for the USMNT tonight, but honestly, I’m torn. Not that I have any special feelings towards Belgium – I like their waffles – but this is so corrupt, so down-and-dirty, I find myself in the role of casual observer. Trump and Infantino (mostly Infantino) have undermined the credibility of this tournament, and anything the U.S. accomplishes now as they move on in the World Cup will be diminished. In a perfect world, Balogun refuses to accept the decision and sits this one out – yeah, sure – but that’s not going to happen.

The beautiful game has turned ugly.

Shameful, is what it is.