Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has strongly criticised world football governing body FIFA’s decision to revoke the suspension of US striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension. The Monaco striker was suspended for 1 game after receiving a Red Card during US win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32 tie. However, FIFA broke its own rules and decided to revoke the suspension following a call from the White House.
UEFA called FIFA’s decision “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable”. UEFA added, “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.”
Notably this is the first time that a player has not been suspended in a World Cup for the next match after receiving a Red Card ever since the rule of automatic suspension was introduced. The only other player who wasn’t suspended for the next match after a Red Card was Brazilian star Garrincha in 1962, but that was before the automatic suspension rule came into play.
UEFA has said that FIFA’s decision to cancel the suspension at a tournament crossed a red line. US is set to face UEFA member nation Belgium later tonight (early morning tomorrow India time) in their Round of 16 tie.
Belgian Football Association (RBFA) had also issued a statement after Balogun’s suspension was revoked saying that they are astonished with the decision.
The criticism of FIFA is coming from all quarters, and it is mainly because FIFA took the decision after US President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino. This is why people are wondering what integrity has FIFA if the President of the host country calls you and you break your own rules to appease him.
Notably, last year, when Donald Trump didn’t get the Nobel Peace Prize, FIFA under Infantino had constituted their own peace prize and conferred it on Trump.
Even former FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who was embroiled in a corruption scandal and was replaced by Infantino in 2016 couldn’t swallow this decision. Blatter wrote on X, “football must never become a playground for political power”.
Despite widespread criticism, FIFA is brazening it out, and Balogun is set to start in the crucial game against Belgium.
