13/07/2026
Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to overturn a red card issued by a referee during a match.
And FIFA complied! They broke their own rules to please the U.S. president.
In authoritarian states, this has a name: telephone justice. It’s more about the phone call than the law.
This episode is a reminder of why democracies need neutral institutions. They shield people against arbitrary decisions and guarantee that the rules apply equally to everyone.
Football works because every team plays by the same rules. Democracy works the same way.