European Parliament lawmakers are calling for an investigation into FIFA chief Gianni Infantino following an alleged contact with US President Donald Trump before the United States plays Belgium in a World Cup match. ABC News reports the lawmakers are pressing for the probe, while Stuff.co.nz and the ABC outline concerns raised by European lawmakers about FIFA’s handling of events around the game.
In a joint statement reported by Stuff.co.nz, European lawmakers Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters and Niels Fuglsang argue that FIFA’s decision to change rules on red-card suspensions mid-tournament is unjust. They describe the change as a “disgrace” and a “perversion of justice,” and link their demand for scrutiny of Infantino to the timing of communications they say occurred before the US–Belgium match.
The outlets describe the move as an effort by lawmakers to examine whether there was improper influence or process failures involving FIFA leadership and related communications during the tournament. The reporting focuses on the request for investigation and the lawmakers’ criticism of FIFA’s mid-tournament rule change, without attributing wrongdoing as a settled fact.
