Is Folarin Balogun playing tonight? Latest on Belgium appeals, red card reversal
· Yahoo Sports
Folarin Balogun was sent off in the USMNT'S Round of 32 game against Bosnia and Herzegovina with a second-half red card, originally counting him out of the Round of 16 game against Belgium.
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In FIFA regulations, if a player receives a red card, he must miss the following match. However, after an appeal from U.S. Soccer, Balogun's red card decision was overturned and the striker will be available to play this evening's game.
President Donald Trump said he initiated the appeal process by reaching out to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
"I spoke to Gianni," Trump told reporters. "That wasn't a foul. That wasn't even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed who happened to crash into each other."
The call was controversial from the start, but under Article 66.4 of the FIFA regulation, "A sending-off automatically incurs suspension from the subsequent match. The FIFA judicial bodies may impose additional match suspensions and other disciplinary measures."
FIFA had already announced Balogun would not be forced to take imposed match suspensions.
The Belgian Football Association did not respond positively to the decision and shared a statement on social media, citing Article 66.4.
"FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary," the statement read. "This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction.
"However, 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."
Belgium submitted an appeal against the decision, but it was dismissed by FIFA because "the RBFA is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to appeal a decision," according to a statement from FIFA.
The RBFA also accused FIFA of deliberately removing the section concerning the automatic suspension of players from its match coordination meeting presentation, adding that such a topic had been a part of all meetings before each of the previous four matches.
Other coaches took the situation to criticize the gray area established by this decision.
"Where does it start and where dos it end now?" said England head coach Thomas Tuchel. England also had a player sent off on a red card in its Round of 16 game. "Can we overturn it or not overturn it or what? Where to draw the line is the question that I ask. I have no answer to that."
As it stands, Balogun will be on the field against Belgium on Monday evening.
Isa Almeida is a trending reporter for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Isa? She can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @ialmeidasports. Support Isa's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Is Folarin Balogun playing tonight? Latest on Belgium appeals, red card reversal