FIFA Rejects Belgium's Appeal on Balogun's Suspension Ahead of World Cup Clash

FIFA's Decision on Balogun's Eligibility

Washington DC [US], July 6: FIFA has turned down Belgium's appeal regarding the eligibility of Folarin Balogun, following the suspension of the United States forward's one-match ban just before the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match between the two teams.

According to a statement from a sports news outlet, FIFA's Appeals Committee deemed the Royal Belgian Football Association's (RBFA) request as "inadmissible," stating that the federation lacked the standing to contest the ruling since it was not a party to the proceedings.

In light of FIFA's ruling, the RBFA acknowledged the decision and mentioned that it is contemplating "further actions" available to them, as reported by the same outlet.

This situation arose after FIFA announced that Balogun's automatic one-match suspension would be put on hold under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, following a request from US President Donald Trump, who urged FIFA to reconsider the case.

FIFA confirmed that the enforcement of Balogun's automatic suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year, as stated by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.

Earlier today, President Trump revealed that he had a conversation with FIFA president Gianni Infantino to discuss the review of Balogun's suspension, which was triggered by a red card.

Balogun received a red card during the 64th minute of the United States' 2-0 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32. However, FIFA later announced the suspension of Balogun's automatic one-match ban following Trump's intervention.

Trump commented, "I spoke to Gianni, who is highly respected. That wasn’t a foul; it was just two players colliding at full speed. You can’t place your foot on someone else’s foot when you’re running. These were two great athletes who got tangled up, and the referee’s decision is questionable based on his past. I don’t want to stir controversy, but it’s suspect. Balogun did nothing wrong; he’s a key player for us, and he received a red card. So, I requested a review from FIFA."