TEHRAN – The Royal 
Belgian Football Association has declined to support Gianni Infantino’s bid for another term as FIFA president, citing unresolved questions over transparency, governance and the governing body’s handling of Folarin Balogun’s World Cup red-card suspension.
The Belgian federation said its decision was driven by FIFA’s failure to provide sufficient explanations over the FIFA Forward Enterprise case and the decision to defer Balogun’s mandatory one-game ban, allowing him to face Belgium in a crucial World Cup match, according to ESPN.
Infantino, who is seeking a final term that would keep him in office through 2031, has faced mounting scrutiny over FIFA’s decision-making and governance.
The RBFA said FIFA had “shown no transparency” in its handling of both cases.
Regarding the FIFA Forward Enterprise, FIFA proposed selling stakes in the World Cup to private equity for $4.2 billion before withdrawing the proposal on Aug. 1, only days after it became public following intense opposition.
“The RBFA notes that, in this matter, a number of important decisions and assessments have, to date, not been sufficiently substantiated by adequate justifications,” the Belgian federation said.
“This raises questions regarding the transparency and governance of this process. We remain in close contact with UEFA and, together, we are seeking clear answers regarding the decision-making process and the next steps.”
The federation also raised concerns over Balogun’s suspension after the US forward received a red card for a tackle against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
After U.S. President Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino, the one-game suspension was deferred, allowing Balogun to play against Belgium with a place in the quarterfinals at stake.
Belgium defeated the United States 4-1 after what the source described as a chaotic 36 hours at the World Cup.
Two months later, the Belgian federation said it still had not received answers to its questions.
“Two months after the events, we note that our questions remain unanswered to date,” Pascale Van Damme, the president of the RBFA, said.
“Given the importance of transparency and clarity for all parties involved, we request the necessary explanations and, at the same time, wish to explore where improvements to the current processes are possible, so that similar cases can be handled in a clear, consistent and efficient manner in the future.”
The RBFA has asked FIFA to place the Balogun case on the agenda for the next meeting of the FIFA Council, scheduled for Oct. 15.