BRUSSELS, July 8. /Dunyo IA/. Dozens of members of the European Parliament have called for an investigation into FIFA President Gianni Infantino following the decision to overturn the suspension of U.S. national team forward Folarin Balogun, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing the Associated Press.

According to the lawmakers, the decision may have been influenced by political pressure following the intervention of U.S. President Donald Trump. The lawmakers are circulating a letter urging European Union football associations to ask FIFA’s Ethics Committee to conduct an official inquiry into Gianni Infantino’s role, the decision-making process, and possible political interference. The initiative has already been backed by 35 members of the European Parliament.

The controversy stems from Balogun’s red card during the FIFA World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1. Under FIFA regulations, a red card automatically results in a one-match suspension. However, ahead of the United States’ July 5 match against Belgium, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee unexpectedly overturned the suspension.

Lawmakers noted that this is the first time in modern FIFA World Cup history that a player sent off during the tournament has not received the mandatory suspension for the following match.

The decision drew further scrutiny after Donald Trump personally contacted Gianni Infantino shortly before the ruling. The American president later confirmed the conversation, saying he had asked FIFA to review the incident.

“It [the red card] was terrible,” Donald Trump said. He added that he did not demand a specific outcome and “didn’t tell him [Gianni Infantino] what to do,” but believed the suspension “would have left a big stain” on the tournament.

FIFA insisted that the decision was made solely by its Disciplinary Committee. Gianni Infantino said he had told the U.S. president that “FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously and decide cases based on the applicable regulations.”

However, the explanation failed to convince many in Europe. The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) described the decision as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.”

Members of the European Parliament argued that changing the suspension rule during the World Cup amounted to “a disgrace and a perversion of justice.” They also called for an investigation into other possible breaches of FIFA’s political neutrality, including the organization’s decision to award Donald Trump the FIFA Peace Prize.

Ahead of the match against the United States, Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia mocked FIFA’s decision, saying: “I didn’t know that at the World Cup, the 5th of July is actually the first of April – it’s April Fools’ [Day].” Despite Folarin Balogun’s reinstatement, the United States lost 4-1 to Belgium and was eliminated from the World Cup.