Published On 7/7/2026
|
Last update: 06:58 (Mecca time)
The Brazilian Football Confederation entered the escalating crisis over the expulsion of United States national team striker Folarin Balogun, after it issued an official statement in which it defended international referee Rafael Clos, strongly rejecting any doubt about his integrity or competence, following the criticism directed at him by US President Donald Trump.
The Brazilian Federation’s position came at a time when the repercussions of the decision to expel Balogun, and then suspend his suspension, are still causing widespread controversy during the 2026 World Cup.
Read also
list of 2 itemsend of list
Official statement: Close is a model of integrity and professionalism
The Brazilian Federation confirmed, in an official statement, that it refutes any insinuations affecting the integrity of referee Rafael Clos, noting that he is considered one of the most prominent referees on the international scene, and has a long record of competence and discipline.
The Federation described the 46-year-old referee as a “model professional,” stressing that he enjoys global recognition as one of the best currently practicing referees, and that his refereeing career was characterized by technical competence, ethical behavior, and full respect for football.
The statement explained that the Union categorically rejects any attempts to question the integrity of the referee or reduce its international standing.
The criticism directed at the Brazilian referee came after his decision to show the red card to Folarin Balogun during the United States national team’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, following his intervention on defender Tarik Maharemovic.
The French Monaco striker was expected to miss his country’s next match against Belgium in the round of 16, in implementation of the disciplinary penalty resulting from the expulsion.
Suspending the penalty ignites the crisis
However, the Disciplinary Committee of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) later decided to suspend the implementation of the suspension penalty, while making it suspended, a decision that allowed Balogun to participate in the match against Belgium.
This decision sparked widespread reactions, after many considered it an unprecedented step, especially in light of what was reported about US President Donald Trump’s interference in the case.
Trump announced, on Monday, that he had made a call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, during which he demanded that the red card Balogun received be reconsidered, considering that the expulsion decision was not deserved.
This statement reignited the controversy over the independence of the judicial committees within the International Federation, before Infantino confirmed in a separate statement that the judicial and disciplinary bodies in FIFA operate completely independently, and that they have the jurisdiction to decide cases in accordance with the applicable regulations, denying the presence of any interference in their decisions.
Dimensions beyond football
The Brazilian Federation’s defense of referee Rafael Clos came at a time of political tension between the United States and Brazil, in light of the existing disputes between the administration of US President Donald Trump and the Brazilian government headed by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, especially in trade files.
Although the case began with an arbitration decision on the field, it quickly turned into a crisis that sparked widespread political and media interest, after it spread to statements by heads of state and football federations, and reopened the debate about the independence of arbitration and judicial decisions in football.
