FIFA Chair Unilaterally Waived Balogun's 1-Match Ban as Trump Call Fuels Ethics Scrutiny
Updated
Updated · New York Post · Jul 13
FIFA Chair Unilaterally Waived Balogun's 1-Match Ban as Trump Call Fuels Ethics Scrutiny
3 articles · Updated · New York Post · Jul 13
Summary
Mohammad al-Kamali, chair of FIFA’s disciplinary committee, suspended Folarin Balogun’s automatic 1-match World Cup ban on his own, with none of the other 17 members consulted, The Times reported.
The move reversed the sanction al-Kamali had imposed after Balogun’s red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina, deferring the ban for one year and clearing the U.S. striker to face Belgium.
Balogun then had little impact in the United States’ 4-1 Round-of-16 loss, but the waiver triggered wider backlash because it appeared to bypass FIFA’s normal collective process.
Donald Trump has said he called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to seek a review of the red card; Infantino said he only explained the case was before independent judicial bodies and is now facing an ethics complaint.