ZURICH: FIFA has suspended the enforcement of a red‑card ban on U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, allowing him to play against Belgium at the World Cup, in an unusual move that drew public praise from the U.S. President Donald Trump.
Balogun was sent off in the United States’ match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which under normal rules carries an automatic one‑match suspension. Instead, FIFA cited Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code to suspend the implementation of the sanction for a one‑year probationary period.
The red card itself remains on record, but the resulting ban has been deferred.
Foreign media reports said Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to request a review. On Sunday, Trump welcomed the outcome, saying FIFA had “done the right thing.”
Belgium’s legal options are being discussed in local media, though analysts note a formal appeal is unlikely to succeed given the discretionary powers FIFA holds under its code.
It may be added here that although the mechanism is unusual but not unprecedented.
Cristiano Ronaldo benefited from a similar ruling when FIFA partly suspended his ban under Article 27, enabling him to avoid missing World Cup matches. The BBC noted that while no identical case exists, FIFA has previously exercised leniency by suspending sanctions.
FIFA emphasized that the red card was not voided, only the punishment suspended, underscoring the distinction between overturning a decision and deferring its consequences.
