Belgium have appealed to FIFA in a bid to reinstate the ban on United States striker Folarin Balogun for their last-16 clash at the World Cup – as UEFA hit out at the ‘unjustifiable’ decision to allow him to play.
Balogun was meant to miss the tie at 1am on Tuesday after being given a straight red card during the USA’s 2-0 victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina in the last 32.
But in farcical scenes, Balogun’s ban was suspended, freeing him up to play, after Donald Trump rang FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
The decision has been panned by many respected figures within the game for making a mockery of the sport’s integrity and giving the USA an unfair advantage.
FIFA have appointed an arbitrator from the Appeal Committee to consider Belgium’s case but it is a race against time.
And on Monday morning UEFA – European football’s governing body – released a statement condemning the decision to suspend the ban and make Balogun available for the last-16 clash.
‘Yesterday’s decision to suspend for a probationary period of a year the implementation of the one-match automatic suspension following the red card issued to the player Folarin Balogun crossed a red line,’ read the statement.
‘Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not. A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted. It is a principle embedded in regulations, which cannot be made subject to exceptions, let alone in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation and regularly served their suspension.
Belgium have appealed to get USA striker Folarin Balogun re-banned for their last-16 game
‘When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined. Equally, such decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require an equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition.
‘Football is the most loved sport in the world because it is a beautiful game and is trusted because it is played everywhere with the same laws. A tournament is never a pure standalone and, if the tournament in question is the World Cup, it has the power to drive positive or negative consequences on the game as a whole.
We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.’
Human rights organisation FairSquare said: ‘The rules were clearly broken in a way that benefits the political interests of the US president.’
FIFA suspended Balogun’s ban for a one-year ‘probationary’ period, wiping it out unless he commits another offence of ‘similar nature and gravity’.
The football body issued scant explanation for suspending Balogun’s ban, merely citing ‘Article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code’. That technically allows them to ‘fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure’.
Donald Trump had called FIFA president Gianni Infantino – and later thanked the organisation for ‘reversing a great injustice’
However, Article 66.4 states that a red card causes an automatic ban for the team’s next match.
There have been 189 red cards in the history of the World Cup and Balogun would become just the second player to not serve an immediate ban. The other was Brazil icon Garrincha in 1962, who was sent off in the semi-finals but played in the final against Chile.
There were no automatic bans back then but the decision to let him play was accused of being politically manufactured.
After FIFA kicked back Balogun’s ban, Trump, who was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize by Infantino last year, wrote on Truth Social: ‘Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP.’
The Belgian FA said it was ‘astonished’ at the decision and would be investigating all options to ‘protect the principles of fair play.’ Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia said: ‘I didn’t know that at the World Cup July 5th is now April 1st – April Fool’s Day. We’re defending football and its ethics.’
Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois admitted the decision came as a ‘surprise’. He added: ‘Had it been done earlier, we’d maybe be able to be more prepared. But as players, nothing changes, we focus to win.’
The Belgian FA also insisted the move contradicted FIFA’s competition rules. The automatic nature of such a suspension was reaffirmed in a FIFA World Cup Circular sent to participating member associations in May.
A FIFA statement on Sunday read: ‘In line with article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year.
Balogun was sent off for a tackle during their 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina
Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Sunday morning to praise FIFA for ‘doing what was right’
The decision to show Balogun a straight red card sparked widespread fury on social media
FIFA president Gianni Infantino pictured alongside Donald Trump last month
‘If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.’
It’s understood US Soccer’s legal team put forward a submission to FIFA, with their case centering on the officials’ use of slow-motion replays before Balogun was sent off.
His foul on Tarik Muharemovic was controversial at the time.
FIFA’s decision has been widely criticised. England manager Thomas Tuchel said: ‘Where does this start and where does this end now? Can we overturn it or not overturn it? What’s going on?
‘Where to draw the line is the question that I ask. I have no answer to that.
‘Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card? Do we think it is not a red card or who thinks it? Where does this start and where does this end? It’s my question. I don’t have an answer.’
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, himself no stranger to controversy, weighed in: ‘Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies.
‘If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President – and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match – the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis [where are you going], FIFA? Football must never become a playground for political power.’
England legend Wayne Rooney branded it an ‘absolute disgrace’ and said Infantino should be ‘ashamed’.
He also offered a revealing look behind the curtain, adding: ‘I know it’s UEFA but I got a three-game ban before Euro 2012.
‘I was due to miss the three group games and I got told if I went over to Switzerland and did a training session with a bunch of kids, my third game would get taken off. I agreed to do it because I didn’t want a three-game ban but I thought that was wrong.’
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