What happened with Balogun and why is Trump involved? Here’s what to know about the red-card controversy.

President Trump has once again sparked international controversy.

After Trump pushed for a review of United States star Folarin Balogun’s red-card penalty ahead of Monday night’s round of 16 game, FIFA ruled that the forward can play against Belgium, reversing the typical one-game suspension for players who receive a red card.

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Belgium’s soccer federation said they plan to challenge the ruling, which goes against decades of precedent in the World Cup’s 96 years. Europe’s soccer body also criticized the decision.

Here’s what you need to know.

Balogun,who has scored three goals for the US so far in the tournament, received a red card in the second half of the US’s match against Bosnia-Herzegovina last Wednesday after fouling Tarik Muharemovic in the 64th minute.

Red cards mean immediate ejection for players who receive them, and Balogun’s foul forced the US to finish the match with only 10 players against Bosnia’s 11. The US won the round of 32 game, 2-0 — Balogun havingscored his third goal of the World Cup during the first half.

Under FIFA rules, players who get a red card are also banned from playing in the next game. Additional suspensions could be added depending on the seriousness of the foul.

According to news reports, Trump called Infantino after last week’s game asking FIFA to review Balogun’s red card. FIFA announced its decision to reverse the penalty on Sunday.

Trump addressed the call while taking questions at the Oval Office on Monday, saying that he asked Infantino for a second look at the referee’s call. (Trump also said he didn’t know what a red card meant at first.)

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“I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said. “I thought it was two great athletes that crashed each other and got entangled.”

The president added that he had “nothing to do with the decision” to overturn the call but repeated that he didn’t think Balogun did “anything wrong.” He also described the US forward as one of the team’s best players.

Trump has a close relationship to Infantino, and at some consequence for the head of the world’s soccer organization. After giving the US president the first FIFA peace prize last December, Infantino haas faced calls for a formal ethics investigation. FIFA’s statute requiresthat the body remain politically neutral.

Europe’s soccer body, UEFA, said in a statement that FIFA’s decision to reverse Balogun’s one-game suspension was an “incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.” Belgium’s soccer federation demanded an explanation from FIFA and plans to challenge the decision.

“Sometimes rules are open to interpretation,” read UEFA’s statement. “In this case not.”

Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia said during a new conference on Sunday: “I didn’t know that in the offices of FIFA the fifth of July was the first of April in Europe,” referring to April Fools’ Day.

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