Folarin Balogun of the US celebrates scoring their first aim towards Bosnia and Herzegovina San Francisco Bay Space Stadium, Santa Clara, California, US on July 1, 2026. — Reuters
Norway’s soccer chief advised The Occasions they’re set to make a proper criticism to Fifa over the suspension of Folarin Balogun’s World Cup ban as a result of it has put “the whole game at risk”.
Lise Klaveness, the president of the Norwegian Soccer Federation (NFF), says she is going to search the backing of her board to lodge the criticism with Fifa’s ethics committee over an incident that “should not have happened”.
The NFF have already formally complained over Fifa President Gianni Infantino awarding soccer’s governing physique’s inaugural Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump, which was broadly ridiculed.
“I will bring it to a board meeting and discuss with my board, and then we do it,” Klaveness advised The Occasions in an interview printed on Thursday.
“To me, it should be in the same sphere of ethical complaint.”
Trump’s involvement within the Balogun affair sparked the controversy.
Balogun’s pink card within the last-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina resulted in an computerized suspension for the match with Belgium.
However Fifa stepped in and suspended his ban, resulting in widespread condemnation, particularly when it emerged that Trump had intervened by phoning Infantino.
Belgium appeared impressed by the row and thrashed the co-hosts 4-1.
“When you bend a rule like this, you’re on a slippery slope that will put the whole game at risk,” mentioned Klaveness.
“It is a worry for the game when you compromise fundamental rules of the game.
“Initially, it shouldn’t have occurred. It is rather essential now to have trustworthy communication round it.
“We all know that this verdict was influenced from external forces and did not have the proper process.”
“We need our leader in Fifa to say that this was an error,” she added.
‘Underneath the carpet’
Klaveness, a former Norway worldwide who has been head of the NFF since 2022, mentioned bending over for a head of state was a harmful precedent.
“If you start to adapt in such a way towards state leaders and state politics, you will move your behaviour and the organisation’s behaviour, and also the red line of what states’ leaders should interfere with,” she mentioned.
“And that happened.”
Klaveness was unimpressed too that, in line with The Occasions, the choice to droop the ban had been taken solely by by the chairman of Fifa’s disciplinary committee, Mohammad al-Kamali, who didn’t seek the advice of the opposite members.
“When you make controversial decisions, and when there has been an external, very powerful voice in your ear, it’s very important that you have more voices (making the decision),” she mentioned.
“And if you don’t, it’s a mistake.”
Klaveness mentioned the problem couldn’t simply be laid to relaxation and forgotten about.
“To try to sweep this under the carpet now will not fly,” the 45-year-old lawyer mentioned.
“Too many felt this… coaches, players, fans… that this was too close to the game.”
Klaveness, who says she is just not a contender to tackle Infantino within the presidential election subsequent 12 months, is equally important of the proposal by South America to extend the finals from 48 to 64 groups.
Norway loved a profitable return to the finals after a 28-year hiatus, dropping to England within the quarter-finals.
“Smaller nations like ourselves, that haven’t been there for 20 years, showed the World Cup could be extended to 48 teams,” mentioned Klaveness.
“It’s not in football’s interest, or even reasonable, to now start to talk about 64 teams — 48 teams was a big change.
“In the event you convey the dialogue now to 64, and highly effective individuals say it, you’ll create mistrust.
“The World Cup should not interfere with the domestic leagues, or the confederations, more than it does today.”
