Norway to file a complaint against FIFA

The Norwegian Football Federation is calling for an investigation into the circumstances that allowed Folarin Balogun to temporarily escape suspension.

The controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun is far from over. According to The Times, the Norwegian Football Federation intends to refer the matter to FIFA's ethics committee to clarify the role played by Donald Trump in the decision to suspend the ban against the American striker during the 2026 World Cup.

Sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 16, Balogun was supposed to miss the following round. However, his suspension was postponed by a year, allowing him to face Belgium. Donald Trump later admitted that he personally asked Gianni Infantino to review the case.

A decision seen as dangerous

Lise Klaveness, president of the NFF, believes this intervention undermines the independence of disciplinary bodies.

"When you bend a rule like this, you’re on a slippery slope that endangers the whole game," she warned.

The Norwegian official also wants Infantino to acknowledge that “this was a mistake.”

According to available information, the decision was made by Mohammad Al-Kamali, chairman of FIFA’s disciplinary committee. However, the lack of a full publication of the ruling continues to fuel suspicions about the process and the legal arguments used.

An affair that goes beyond Balogun

The upcoming complaint is expected to be linked to the ongoing Norwegian procedure regarding the FIFA Peace Prize awarded to Donald Trump.

Even though the United States were later knocked out by Belgium, the stakes remain high. If political pressure can influence the implementation of a sporting sanction, federations no longer appear to have the same guarantees. The Norwegian initiative is therefore as much about demanding transparency from FIFA as it is about protecting equal treatment of all its members.

See also: The AFCON expands from 24 to 28 teams! (Official)

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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