*FIFA President, Infantino, justifies the decision to suspend the red card
Europe’s football governing body, UEFA, issued a formal statement on the Folarin Balogun case yesterday, describing the decision by FIFA under Gianni Infantino ‘s watch to suspend for one year the red card issue to the USA player so that he can play the Last 16 clash between the co-host nation against Belgium. In line with the decision, Balogun was fielded by USA against Belgium last night.
But in the strong worded statement by UEFA, the body said: “Yesterday’s decision to suspend for a probationary period of a year the implementation of the one-match automatic suspension following the red card issued to the player Folarin Balogun crossed a red line.
“Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition. 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.
