However, FIFA ruled that the automatic suspension would itself be suspended for one year, making Balogun eligible for Monday's FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Belgium.
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has issued a fresh statement escalating its dispute with Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) over the decision to allow United States forward Folarin Balogun to play against Belgium, saying it has no choice but to challenge the striker's eligibility after failing to receive any formal explanation from world football's governing body.
The latest statement is an update to the federation's earlier condemnation of FIFA's decision to suspend the enforcement of Balogun's automatic one-match ban following his red card during the United States' 2-0 Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Balogun, 25, was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic. Under FIFA's disciplinary regulations, the dismissal ordinarily carries an automatic suspension for the player's next match.
However, FIFA ruled that the automatic suspension would itself be suspended for one year, making Balogun eligible for Monday's FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Belgium.
