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Balogun ban reversed
FIFA lifted U.S. forward Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension for the World Cup match against Belgium after Donald Trump intervened with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, allowing Balogun to play in the round of 16 in Seattle on Monday.
“FIFA announced Sunday that the suspension had been lifted for the round of 16 match, an extraordinary move”
AP reported that Balogun received a red card for stepping awkwardly on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemović of Bosnia-Herzegovina in a 2-0 round of 32 win on Wednesday, triggering an automatic one-game suspension that FIFA announced Sunday had been lifted.
The decision came as Belgium’s team reacted with outrage, with AP saying the RBFA was “astonished” and that Belgium coach Rudi Garcia mocked FIFA’s action.
Sky Sports said FIFA stepped in to make the “banned USA striker Folarin Balogun available for the World Cup last-16 tie with Belgium,” and it quoted Gary Neville saying: "It stinks".
Belgium threatens CAS
Belgium said it would ask sport’s ultimate court to boot the USA out of the World Cup if it loses to a team including Balogun, after a Fifa committee ruled its protest “inadmissible” because Belgium were NOT a party to the original decision.
The Sun said Brussels FA chiefs gave the US team a warning that they will be prepared to go nuclear and demand the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne kick America out of the World Cup.
AP said Belgium’s federation said it was “astonished” and that it was investigating all potential options, while Sky Sports reported Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia saying: "I didn't know that in the offices of FIFA July 5 was the April 1 in Europe."
In the same dispute, The Sun reported that CAS could hold an expedited hearing over the next 48 hours and make a final decision before the scheduled quarter-final date in Los Angeles on Friday.
Rules, integrity, next match
FIFA’s reversal was framed as a probationary mechanism, with AP quoting FIFA’s announcement that “the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year,” and that if Balogun commits another infringement “the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced.”
“the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year”
Axios reported that UEFA said FIFA “crossed a red line” by lifting Balogun’s one-match suspension, arguing that a one-match ban after a red card isn’t a “discretionary option” and that the rule can’t be lifted mid-tournament while other players serve suspensions.
NBC News said Belgium’s soccer federation blasted the ruling as “astonished” and argued it contradicts tournament competition regulations that say a red card “automatically results in a suspension for the team’s next match.”
With Balogun reinstated, NBC News said the U.S. next plays Belgium in Seattle on Monday night, and ABC News added that the match is at 8 p.m. ET from Seattle Stadium.
