UEFA Condemns FIFA’s Decision to Overturn Balogun’s Suspension
UEFA has launched a scathing attack on FIFA after the governing body overturned Folarin Balogun’s automatic suspension at the World Cup, describing the decision as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable”.
The United States striker was sent off during the group‑stage win over Bosnia and Herzegovina and was expected to miss the last‑16 clash against Belgium under FIFA’s standard disciplinary rules. Instead, FIFA decided not to enforce the mandatory one‑match ban, allowing Balogun – the tournament’s leading scorer for the co‑hosts – to play.
UEFA said the intervention effectively scrapped an automatic suspension and “crossed a red line”. According to the European governing body, only one other player in World Cup history has avoided suspension after a red card – Garrincha in 1962, before automatic bans were introduced, a case surrounded by claims of political interference.
CBS News reported that Balogun’s reinstatement followed a telephone conversation between former US President Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, during which the suspension was discussed. Trump later thanked FIFA for “reversing a great injustice”, while former FIFA president Sepp Blatter warned on 𝕏 that “football must never become a playground for political power”.
In a strongly worded statement, UEFA insisted that a one‑match suspension following a red card “is not a discretionary option” and remains “a principle embedded in regulations”. The body warned that 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. UEFA added that the decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition.
The latest row adds to growing tensions between UEFA and FIFA, whose relationship has been strained by several high‑profile disputes in recent months.
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