\u201cWe express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision,\u201d says Uefa
\n new york
\nFifa \u201ccrossed a red line\u201d with the controversial decision to suspend US star Folarin Balogun\u2019s one-game ban for a year, European football\u2019s governing body Uefa said on Monday. Fifa\u2019s ruling, which came after the intervention of Donald Trump, permits Balogun to play in the co-hosts\u2019 World Cup last 16 match with Belgium later on Monday. \u201cYesterday\u2019s decision to suspend for a probationary period of a year the implementation of the one-match automatic suspension following the red card issued to the player Folarin Balogun crossed a red line,\u201d read Uefa\u2019s strongly worded statement.
\n\u201cFootball, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not.\u201d Uefa warned of the ramifications for the sport as a whole. \u201cFootball is the most loved sport in the world because it is a beautiful game and is trusted because is played everywhere with the same laws,\u201d it said. \u201cA tournament is never a pure standalone and, if the tournament in question is the World Cup, it has the power to drive positive or negative consequences on the game as a whole. \u201cWe express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.\u201d
\nBalogun, who has scored three goals at the World Cup, had been set to miss the clash in Seattle after receiving a straight red card following a video review for stepping on a Bosnia-Herzegovina defender\u2019s foot in the round-of-32 match the US won 2-0.
\nUnder Fifa rules, a straight red card automatically triggers a one-game ban.
\nTrump called Fifa chief Gianni Infantino asking him to review Balogun\u2019s punishment, two sources familiar with the matter told AFP.
\nUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio also publicly called for the card to be rescinded.
\nThe decision to suspend the ban was taken by Fifa\u2019s disciplinary committee.
\nWorld football\u2019s governing body said Sunday the ban will now be suspended for a year, in a stunning move for which no specific explanation was offered.
\n\u201cThank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!\u201d Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
\nThe Belgians were stupefied by the ruling.
\n\u201cI didn\u2019t know that at the Fifa World Cup, the 5th of July is now the 1st of April, and that it\u2019s April Fool\u2019s Day,\u201d Belgium coach Rudi Garcia told reporters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cWe express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision,\u201d says Uefa new york Fifa \u201ccrossed a red line\u201d with the controversial decision to suspend US star Folarin Balogun\u2019s one-game ban for a year, European football\u2019s governing body Uefa said on Monday. Fifa\u2019s ruling, which came after the intervention of Donald Trump, permits […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-554973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n