‘Football Not Playground for Political Power,’ Ex-FIFA President Blatter Blasts Infantino Over Balogun’s Red Card Suspension 

Former President of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), Sepp Blatter, has criticised the current president of the global football governing body, Gianni Infantino, following the suspension of the red-card ban imposed on United States striker Folarin Balogun on July 5.

Balogun was shown a red card in the 64th minute of the United States’ 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in their Round of 32 clash on July 2, after scoring in the first half. The dismissal automatically resulted in a one-match suspension.

Consequently, United States President Donald Trump reportedly called Infantino, urging him to suspend the player’s automatic one-match ban.

FIFA subsequently rescinded the suspension, stating: “In line with Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary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.

“If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”

Reacting to the development, Blatter expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, noting that red cards are not overturned by political phone calls but by rules, evidence, and independent bodies.

“If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President — and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match — the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis, FIFA?” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

He added: “Football must never become a playground for political power.”

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right and reversing a great injustice.” Similarly, the White House celebrated the suspension of Balogun’s red-card ban with a post on X, saying: “USA-USA-USA.”

The United States will face Belgium in the battle for a place in the quarter-finals on Tuesday at 1:00 a.m.

The Belgian Football Association, in a statement, expressed disappointment over the decision, saying it was astonished.

“The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) is astonished by FIFA’s decision to declare suspended United States player Folarin Balogun eligible to play in the USA–Belgium match on Monday, 6 July at 5:00 p.m. (Seattle time),” the statement reads in part.

The Association argued that FIFA based its decision on Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, noting that the provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction.

However, it explained that Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team’s next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Association stressed that the decision directly contradicts the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations, as set out in Article 10.5: “If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second caution), they will automatically be suspended from their team’s subsequent match. In addition, further sanctions may be imposed.”

The statement added: “The automatic nature of such a suspension was also explicitly reaffirmed in FIFA World Cup 2026 Circular No. 16, which was distributed to all participating member associations on 12 May 2026. The same rule is reiterated at every FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Coordination Meeting prior to each match and is included in all FIFA World Cup 2026 workshop presentations.

“In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options.”

Similarly, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) reacted to the development, stating that the decision to suspend, for a one-year probationary period, the implementation of the automatic one-match suspension following the red card issued to Folarin Balogun had crossed a red line.

UEFA explained that football, like any other sport, relies on rules, which form the foundation of 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 said.

The European football governing body stressed that this principle is embedded in the regulations and 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 duly served their suspensions.

UEFA asserted that when the certainty of the rules is no longer guaranteed by their guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of the competition is undermined.

It also emphasised that the decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition.

The body pointed out that football is the world’s most popular sport because it is a beautiful game and is trusted because it is played everywhere under the same Laws of the Game.

“A tournament is never a pure standalone and, if the tournament in question is the World Cup, it has the power to drive positive or negative consequences on the game as a whole,” UEFA stated, expressing disbelief at what it described as an unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unjustifiable decision.

ThelensNG