'The integrity of the game is at stake': UEFA wades into row over US striker Balogun's red card with scathing statement
UEFA has said that FIFA’s decision to suspend a red card shown to United States striker Folarin Balogun undermined the “credibility” of the entire World Cup.
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United States striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension after picking up a red card was delayed after Donald Trump placed a call to Fifa’s president Gianni Infantino
The former Arsenal forward is now free to face Belgium in the last 16 on Monday evening, unless an appeal by the Belgian Football Association (RBFA) is successful.
It has been reported the decision to suspend the ban came after political pressure from the US government coupled with the phone call from Trump. Neither FIFA nor the US authorities have commented, however European football’s governing body UEFA has now waded in.
“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,” a UEFA statement began.
UEFA expressed “disbelief” at the decision, which it said was “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable”.
Amid reports the US government pressured FIFA to suspend the ban, US President Donald Trump thanked FIFA for “reversing a great injustice” after Balogun was dismissed in the last-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
UEFA added in its statement: “Football, like any other sports (sic), 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.
“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.”
Downing Street refused to be drawn into the row, saying World Cup disciplinary decisions should remain a matter for FIFA.
The US president is said to have called FIFA on several occasions before Balogun’s ban was lifted.
Asked whether Mr Trump’s reported actions were acceptable, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Those decisions are a matter for the football world governing body and should stay that way, and we are clear in that position.”
Pressed whether the case had brought FIFA’s integrity into question, the spokesman replied: “It’s a matter for FIFA to respond to. As I say, our position is very clear that those decisions are a matter for the governing body, and that the Prime Minister supports the integrity of competition in all sports.”
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter accused football’s global governing body of overturning the decision as a result of “political phone calls”.
The Belgian FA said on Sunday night it was “astonished” by the decision and is reported to have been granted the right to an appeal by FIFA.
Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia likened the decision to an April Fool’s joke, while his England counterpart Thomas Tuchel said it was a “strange” decision following his side’s 3-2 win over Mexico on Sunday.
“Who overturns this decision and when and on what grounds?” the German asked.
“And how far does this go now? It’s just strange for me. We just want to have consistency in the decisions.”