Governing body of European football Uefa He criticized FIFA on Monday for allowing US striker Folarin Balogun to play in Tuesday’s (IST) FIFA World Cup round-of-16 match against Belgium despite receiving a red card in the previous game.In a statement, UEFA called FIFA’s move an “incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision” and said the world body had “crossed a red line”.“Sometimes the rules are open to interpretation. In this case not,” UEFA said, adding “the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined.”“A minimum automatic one-match suspension following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted. This is a principle built into the regulations, which cannot be subject to exceptions, and even less so in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation and regularly served their suspensions,” UEFA said in its statement.Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban was surprisingly lifted by FIFA on Sunday, allowing the American forward to play in the team’s World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium, a decision that was praised by the US president. Donald Trump and promote outrage from the Red Devils.The Associated Press news agency later reported that US President Donald Trump personally intervened to help Balogun lift the suspension.Balogun, who scored three goals in the tournament for the United States, was shown a red card after stepping on the right ankle of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic during the United States’ 2-0 win in the round of 32 on Wednesday. A red card triggers an automatic one game suspension.FIFA, however, decided to suspend the punishment.“The implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a trial period of one year,” announced FIFA. “If Folarin Balogun commits another offense of similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension will be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new offence.”The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was “shocked”.“The decision is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations,” it said in a statement. “To safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both in this FIFA World Cup and in future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all possible options.”Belgian coach Rudi Garcia mocked FIFA’s action.“I didn’t know that in the FIFA offices July 5 was April 1 in Europe,” Garcia said through a translator in an April Fool’s Day comparison.
