Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter questioned the overturning of Folarin Balogun's red card suspension for the World Cup, warning against political influence. The Royal Belgian Football Association also protested the 'surprising' ruling by FIFA.
Former FIFA president Joseph Sepp Blatter has questioned the circumstances surrounding United States striker Folarin Balogun's eligibility for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash against Belgium, saying football must never become a playground for political power.
Earlier, FIFA announced that the implementation of Balogun's automatic one-match suspension had been suspended under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
In its statement, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee said, "By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year."
Blatter: 'Football Must Never Become a Playground for Political Power'
Reacting to the development in a post on X, Blatter stressed that disciplinary decisions should remain independent of political influence. "Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies," Blatter wrote.
The former FIFA chief added that any suggestion of political involvement in football's disciplinary process would raise serious concerns. "If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President -- and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match -- the question is unavoidable. Football must never become a playground for political power," he wrote.
Balogun had been shown a red card in the 64th minute of the United States' 2-0 Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite playing with 10 men, the co-hosts secured progression to the last 16, with Balogun having already scored three goals during the tournament.
Belgian FA 'Astonished' by Ruling
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) also expressed strong opposition to FIFA's decision to make United States striker Folarin Balogun eligible for Monday's FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash, describing the ruling as surprising and saying it is exploring all possible avenues to protect its interests.
In an official statement issued on Sunday, the RBFA said it was "astonished by FIFA's decision to declare suspended United States player Folarin Balogun eligible to play in the USA-Belgium match" and questioned the legal basis for the ruling.
While acknowledging that FIFA had relied on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the Belgian federation argued that other regulations clearly mandate an automatic suspension following a red card. The statement said, "Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team's next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup."
Balogun is now expected to be available when the United States face Belgium in Seattle, with a place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals at stake. (ANI)
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