UEFA vice-president and former Wales captain Laura McAllister has warned of the risk of “an absolute cesspit” of political interference in football.

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales, McAllister was asked about the decision from FIFA – football’s international governing body – to suspend USA striker Folarin Balogun’s red card.

Balogun was expected to be suspended for the USA’s last-16 tie against Belgium after his red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

However, the Monaco forward was able to play in his side’s 4-1 defeat to the European side following a high profile intervention by US President Donald Trump.

UEFA, European football’s governing body, expressed “disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision”.

Now former Wales international McAllister, a UEFA vice-president since 2023, says she is concerned by what the Balogun decision – and Trump’s involvement – could mean for football.

“You’re creating an absolute cesspit for the future because anyone can appeal,” McAllister said.

“Any political leader could potentially pick up the phone and say there’s a precedent for changing a punishment awarded to a player and I think it’s extremely dangerous.

“I work with UEFA and we’re very clear what the rules of our competitions are.

“We know exactly what rules and regulations are applied – as do all the participants at the beginning – so to even create an environment where you can undermine the awarding of punishments on the pitch for right or wrong is very dangerous”.

Trump bragged about calling FIFA President Gianni Infantino personally, and cast aspersions on Brazilian referee Raphael Claus, who showed Balogun the red card.

Claus was labelled “suspect” by the President, causing FIFA to issue a statement praising Claus as “one of the world’s leading professional referees and a valued member of Team One [the referees team] at the FIFA World Cup.”

“Throughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated the highest standards of professionalism and integrity,” FIFA added.

“I think in a normal environment there would be doubts cast on Infantino’s leadership, but I think you have to say football isn’t a normal environment,” said McAllister.

“I think in the lead-up to this World Cup it was understandable that Gianni Infantino needed to ensure that Trump was on board with this huge tournament that effectively funds everything that FIFA does.

“But I think it just went too far and he was trapped into this vortex of a relationship with Trump which meant that what happened on the weekend was almost bound to happen.

“I think Trump has been given a status well beyond the leader of a host country – because don’t forget there were two other host countries – and somehow was embroiled in the whole tournament organisation.

“His speech in the White House pretty much underlined that he felt it was his decision about whether it was a foul and whether it was fair, whereas of course it should rest with the governing body itself.”

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