A proposed change to the disciplinary code

FIFA is set to present an amendment to its disciplinary code that would stop automatic one-match bans from being suspended, according to a document seen by The Athletic. The proposal targets article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the provision cited in the case of United States forward Folarin Balogun. The FIFA Council, made up of Gianni Infantino, eight vice-presidents and 28 other members, will consider it on Thursday, 15 October, at its first meeting since the World Cup, in Zurich. Sources close to council members said the wording reached them only on the night of Tuesday, 13 October, fewer than 48 hours before the meeting. They described the move as an attempt to clean up the stain of Balogun's reprieve at short notice, while Infantino has always insisted he had no role in the decision.

How the Balogun ban was overturned

Balogun was sent off in the round-of-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, a red card that should have triggered an automatic one-match ban for the round-of-16 game against Belgium. FIFA's independent disciplinary committee suspended that ban, and the 25-year-old played as the United States lost 4-1 to Belgium and were knocked out. Trump publicly said he had phoned Infantino to request a review of the decision. Four FIFA insiders told the New York Post, as LBC reported, that Infantino had promised to take care of the matter in a call on 1 July. FIFA maintains that its panel made the decision and that pressure from Trump was not decisive. Infantino said in July:

“FIFA's judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them.”

In the same statement Infantino confirmed that he had received a call from Trump on this matter, adding that he takes calls from heads of state, government officials and football stakeholders on many issues.

Criticism from inside football

UEFA described the decision as 'incomprehensible' and said it had 'crossed a red line'. US Soccer also made submissions in the case, arguing that the VAR presentation to the on-field referee relied excessively on freeze-frames and slow-motion images. Debbie Hewitt, chair of the Football Association and a FIFA vice-president, wrote to Infantino in September requesting all documents related to the case. Commentary in The Telegraph suggested the timing of the proposal could trigger a new controversy over whether FIFA and Infantino were being cleared of any wrongdoing.

Infantino's wider pressure

The Fifa Forward Enterprise plan, which would have brought private investment into a commercial arm overseeing the financial rights of the World Cup and other tournaments, was abandoned after it was developed without consulting the FIFA Council. Bernd Neuendorf, the head of the German football federation (DFB), has withdrawn support for Infantino's re-election and said the council knew nothing about the plan. Presidents of three continental confederations, including UEFA, called for Infantino to step down over the summer. Even so, the Confederation of African Football gave him unanimous backing last week, and he intends to stand for a fourth term at next year's Congress. UEFA has committed to putting forward a credible opposition candidate before the 18 November deadline. The FIFA Peace Prize awarded to Trump is also listed for discussion at Thursday's meeting.

What happens next

Several dates now frame the dispute, starting with the reported phone call on 1 July and the circulation of the amendment on 13 October. The council takes up the proposal on Thursday, 15 October, the first session since the tournament, where Infantino is expected to answer questions on the Balogun case and the abandoned plan.

The 18 November deadline sets the next checkpoint for the leadership contest. Whether the council adopts the amendment on Thursday is not yet known.