Global football governing body, FIFA is facing up to an avalanche of worries, following their shock decision to ‘suspend’ a red card that had been shown to USA’s Nigerian-born striker, Folarin Balogun in the round of 32 at the ongoing World Cup.
Sports247 reports that, while rebuttals from Belgium’s FA and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) came out against FIFA the moment they announced to decision to overturn Balogun’s red card, the latest swipe is coming from fans of the game and politicians.
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A survey on the streets of Belgium’s capital, Brussels, revealed unanimous disdain with FIFA’s verdict, while the country’s deputy prime minister, Maxime Prevot also took a swipe at the u-turn, just as the country’s FA stepped up their agitations, by pointing out ‘procedural errorrs’ in the global body’s decision.
Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) alleged that FIFA erred in treating their ‘request for information’ as an ‘inadmissible appeal,’ despite the European nation insisting they never raised any formal objection to the very contentious development.
“For an appeal to be admissible, FIFA’s own regulations state that the reasoned decision must first have been communicated to the appellant. While the RBFA was merely seeking legitimate explanations, FIFA itself created an appeal and immediately ensured that it would be declared inadmissible.
“All of this occurred while FIFA simultaneously refused to respond to the RBFA’s legitimate requests,” the RBFA stated, while affirming that they were merely challenging Balogun’s eligibility after FIFA removed the automatic player suspension section from a pre-match coordination meeting.
The RBFA also averred that FIFA failed to explain the change in Balogun’s situation, despite repeated oral and written requests, which has further thrust the global body’s disciplinary process into a negative spotlight and prompted an angry response from the Brussels public.
“When we give a red card, it’s because the player made a serious mistake. So, how did they manage to erase that mistake? Did the referee make a mistake in doing his job? I don’t think so,” said Therese Kpooubie, who works in the Belgian capital.
“If there was any influence on the decision to allow the player to play again, honestly, it’s simply shameful,” she reiterated with a scowl, ahead of Belgium’s last-16 match against USA on Tuesday in Seattle, while Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot also vilified the situation.
“If it was really this phone call behind this incomprehensible decision, then that would be flouting the most basic rules of football and sport,” Prevot posited in a press statement.
Sports247 gathered further that, though many media houses stated that FIFA suspended Balogun’s red card and cleared him to play in the round of 16 tie after President Donald Trump personally called for a review of the case, USA’s ambassador to Belgium, Bill White denied any interference.
Ambassador White vehemently ruled out any form of presidential interest in the matter and emphatically wrote in a post on Instagram: “President Trump would never interfere with the inner workings of FIFA. President Trump thanked FIFA after the fact.”
