England manager Thomas Tuchel has questioned the confusion surrounding the World Cup’s disciplinary process following FIFA’s unprecedented decision to overturn United States striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension.
Balogun was sent off during the USA’s Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. As per FIFA’s own regulations for the World Cup, all red-carded players incur an automatic one-match ban, applicable to their team’s subsequent match. Balogun, thus, would have been ineligible for Tuesday’s Round of 16 tie against Belgium.
However, after an intervention by US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, FIFA cleared the 25-year-old striker for the match, announcing in a statement: “In line with article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year.”
No other explanation was offered by FIFA for the intervention, which prompted confusion over the governing body’s disciplinary processes.
England manager Thomas Tuchel, speaking after his team’s 3-2 win over Mexico, said: “Who overturns this decision and when and on what grounds? And how far does this go now? It’s just strange for me. We just want to have consistency in the decisions.”
With England defender Jarell Quansah being sent off during the same match, Tuchel was asked if England would appeal his automatic one-match ban. In response, he pointed to the general uncertainty created by the Balogun case.
“Where to draw the line is the question that I ask. Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card? Do we think it is not a red card, or who thinks it? Can we overturn it or not overturn it? What’s going on?
“Where does this end? Where does it stop? I don’t know the rules. I am the wrong person to ask. I will wait and see what’s coming.”
The England boss also brought up the yellow card received by Declan Rice for his first challenge of the match in the very first minute of the ninety, which had left even neutrals surprised.
“Our yellow card after the first minute against Declan Rice… we can now debate it endlessly. I think it is not a yellow card. Do we get this back?”
Widespread Backlash
Balogun’s was the only one of the tournament’s thirteen red cards to have escaped the one-match ban, and FIFA’s handling of the Balogun case has drawn widespread condemnation.
UEFA released a statement officially condemning FIFA’s actions, declaring the reversal “crossed a red line.
“We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision,” said the statement.
“Football, like any other sport, relies on rules… Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not. A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted. It is a principle embedded in regulations, which cannot be made subject to exceptions, let alone in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation and regularly served their suspension,” the statement further read.
