UEFA Criticizes FIFA Over Suspension of Balogun's Red-Card Ban

UEFA accused FIFA of crossing "a red line" after the governing body suspended for one year the enforcement of Folarin Balogun's automatic one-match suspension, Gavin Blackburn reported for BBC News.

UEFA has criticized FIFA after Folarin Balogun was cleared to play despite receiving a red card. (Photo: Bryan Berlin, Wikimedia Commons)

The ruling allows Balogun to play for the United States in its World Cup Round of 16 match against Belgium despite receiving a straight red card in the previous round.

In a statement, UEFA said the decision "crossed a red line" because it contradicted FIFA's disciplinary framework.

The Royal Belgian Football Association also criticized the decision, saying it was "astonished" and was exploring legal options to protect the integrity of the competition.

According to the report, FIFA reversed the suspension after a telephone conversation between Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, a claim attributed to unnamed sources cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia sarcastically remarked: "I didn't know that at the FIFA World Cup, the 5th of July is now the 1st of April."