US World Cup star Folarin Balogun’s red card ban suspended ahead of match against Belgium
Folarin Balogun, the U.S. soccer star, has been granted permission to play in the USMNT’s upcoming World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium on Monday. This decision comes after FIFA put a hold on Balogun’s controversial one-game red card suspension, stating that the implementation of the suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year.
Balogun received a red card during the U.S. match against Bosnia-Herzegovina last week for a clash with an opposing player’s foot. This led to his ejection from the game and an automatic one-game suspension. Initially, FIFA stated that the referee’s decision was final and could not be appealed. However, the football governing body has now decided to suspend the implementation of the suspension for a year.
In a surprising turn of events, the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) expressed astonishment at FIFA’s decision to allow Balogun to play in the upcoming match. The RBFA highlighted that the FIFA Disciplinary Code typically mandates a suspension for the team’s next match following a red card, as has been the norm in previous World Cup instances. The RBFA is currently exploring all potential options to safeguard the fair play principles of the tournament.
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino addressed the situation, stating that Balogun was disappointed by the red card decision and emphasizing that the clash was unintentional. U.S. Soccer also issued a statement expressing their satisfaction with FIFA’s decision to suspend the one-game ban, focusing their attention on the crucial match against Belgium.
President Donald Trump also weighed in on the matter, thanking FIFA for rectifying what he deemed a “great injustice.” The highly anticipated match between the U.S. and Belgium is scheduled to take place at Seattle Stadium on Monday at 8 p.m. ET.
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