SEATTLE >> The United States’ World Cup campaign took an extraordinary turn on Sunday when FIFA made the unprecedented decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s automatic red-card ban, clearing the striker to face Belgium in today’s last-16 clash after U.S. President Donald Trump personally urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the case.
The move thrust FIFA’s disciplinary process into the global spotlight, prompted an angry response from Belgium and ensured that one of this tournament’s biggest talking points would centre not on tactics or team selection, but on the relationship between football’s governing body and political power.
Within minutes, the decision had ignited one of the tournament’s biggest media storms, dominating sports bulletins and talk shows as pundits, commentators and former players argued over whether FIFA had upheld justice or undermined its own rules.
As questions mounted over the circumstances surrounding the decision, FIFA did not respond to multiple Reuters requests for comment about the decision and Trump’s call with Infantino. Balogun scored his third goal of the World Cup in the 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina but was shown a red card in the second half for planting his boot into the ankle of Tarik Muharemovic. The 25-year-old was sent off after a VAR review, with U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino saying it was never a red card offense. Trump called Infantino to ask world soccer’s governing body to review the sending-off, according to a source briefed on the call.
FIFA is allowing Balogun to play without rescinding the red card.
“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,” FIFA said in a statement.
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“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.”
The judicial body has the discretion to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary sanction.
U.S. Soccer accepted the decision while Balogun’s teammates said they only found out via social media on their way to training ahead of today’s game in Seattle.
“We found out about it just coming over here,” American forward Christian Pulisic told reporters. “At first, you’re like, ‘Oh really, is this real?’ And then ‘Oh, this is great news’.”
Pochettino welcomed the news at a U.S. press conference in Seattle on Sunday evening.
“I think 99.9% of people in football have said this is an unfair punishment and there’s evidence from the past that makes it possible to suspend a punishment and to fulfil it later on, so I don’t understand how people can be surprised,” he told reporters.
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was “astonished” by FIFA’s decision to declare Balogun eligible to play in the match, pointing to the rule book while it investigated all potential options.
“FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction,” the RBFA said.
“However, Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team’s next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup.”
It said the decision was in direct contradiction with the provisions of the tournament’s Regulations.
Belgium’s football federation released a lengthy statement decrying FIFA’s decision.
National team coach Rudi Garcia said at a press conference that the integrity of the game was top of mind.
“I didn’t know that at the FIFA World Cup, the fifth of July is now first April and that it’s April Fool’s Day. It is news to me,” Garcia said via a translation. “I am a head coach, I will focus on my team on tomorrow’s game regardless of the 11 starting players from the U.S. I will focus on my team, the pitch tomorrow.”
Balogun, before Sunday’s decision, said it was important to him to react calmly in the moment he was sent off.
“I’m happy with the support, not just that I’m receiving, but the team,” Balogun said. “And I think we’re all looking forward to seeing what we can do against Belgium.”