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Belgium appeal against FIFA’s Folarin Balogun ban decision
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Belgium has appealed FIFA’s decision to suspend the one-game ban for USMNT striker Folarin Balogun, making him eligible to play in the World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium on Monday.
- The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) criticized FIFA for not providing a clear explanation or formal decision regarding the suspension lift and claimed FIFA’s handling of the appeal process was procedurally flawed.
- Belgium expressed concerns about the integrity and fairness of the competition, with head coach Rudi Garcia emphasizing the importance of defending football’s ethics amid unprecedented circumstances.
- The reversal of Balogun’s suspension reportedly involved intervention from U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. Soccer, government officials, and legal teams, with Trump publicly thanking FIFA for the decision.
- U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino defended FIFA’s ruling, arguing that the U.S. team was not unjustly advantaged despite playing part of a previous match with a man down due to Balogun’s red card.
