Shocking Truth Reveals How FIFA Actually Suspended Folarin Balogun Ban

FIFA’s decision making is back in the spotlight ahead of the World Cup semifinals.

Gianni Infantino and FIFA are facing more World Cup backlash. | Alex Wong/Getty Images

The controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun’s red card reversal looks set to continue amid reports that just one person on FIFA’s 18-strong disciplinary committee was responsible for suspending the USMNT striker’s ban.

Balogun was flashed a red card in the round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina after accidentally stepping on the Achilles of defender Tarik Muharemović. The referee’s decision should have seen him serve a non-appealable one game ban, per FIFA’s rules for the tournament, leaving the Stars and Stripes without arguably its best player for the round of 16.

The day before kickoff against Belgium, though, it was revealed that FIFA had suspended Balogun’s red card for one year, granting him eligibility to compete in the knockout match. It marked the first time since red card automatic suspensions were introduced in the 1970 World Cup that one had been lifted during tournament play. The 25-year-old subsequently started and logged 90 minutes in the 4–1 loss to the Red Devils.

FIFA’s monumental reversal received immediate backlash, especially from UEFA and the Royal Belgian Football Association, who were “astonished” by the decision. There was further outcry when it was soon revealed that U.S. President Donald Trump had placed a call to his close friend, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, regarding the red card call.

Infantino and the rest of the federation remained adamant that the decision had been made solely by the body’s independent disciplinary committee, without any political interference. The committee opted to enact Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which dictates that “the judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.”

“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies,” Infantino said about this call with Trump. “That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.”

It has now come to light, though, that the decision of FIFA’s disciplinary committee to issue the historic suspension was actually in the hands of just one person, chairman Mohammad al-Kamali of the United Arab Emirates, per a report from The Times. The other 17 committee members were not asked to be involved in the case, which raises even further questions about FIFA’s handling of the case. Important cases often involve at least three committee members coming together to make a decision.

FIFA has not yet commented.

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The Consequencees of FIFA’s Decision

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has received much backlash this year. | Eva Marie Uzcategui/FIFA/FIFA/Getty Images

Balogun’s red card reversal opened the floodgates for other teams to make similar requests.

France requested FIFA to erase the yellow card handed to its star midfielder Michael Olise, while Labor MP Noah Law wrote a public letter to Infantino asking for England’s Jarell Quansah’s red card to be suspended, citing the Balogun reversal directly.

“Whilst I believe that it was right for Jarell Quansah to have received this red card and that refereeing rules must be applied consistently, I believe it would be right to delay his suspension until after the completion of the World Cup," the letter said. “We know that a similar situation arose earlier in the competition when United States forward Folarin Balogun received a red card during the Round of 32.”

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England manager Thomas Tuchel even jokingly said “it might be a good starting point” to call Trump for help with Quansah’s suspension.

“Where does it start, and where does it end?” Tuchel questioned last week. “Can we overturn it or not overturn it or what? What is going on?

“Where to draw the line is the question I asked. I have no answer to that. Where does this end now? Do we appeal if the yellow card is not a yellow card?”

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