07/05/26 12:42:00
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07/05 12:41 CDT Folarin Balogun's 1-game ban suspended by FIFA, allowing US
forward to play vs. Belgium
Folarin Balogun's 1-game ban suspended by FIFA, allowing US forward to play vs.
Belgium
SEATTLE (AP) --- Folarin Balogun's one-game ban was suspended by FIFA on
Sunday, allowing the forward to play in the United States' World Cup round of
16 game against Belgium on Monday.
Balogun, who leads the Americans with three goals, received a red card for
stepping on the foot of Tarik Muharemovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 2-0
round of 32 win on Wednesday.
"The implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary
period of one year," FIFA announced Sunday. "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."
Balogun's red card and suspension for the round of 16 match had been one of the
most controversial and consequential decisions of the World Cup, only now to be
surely matched by the ruling that allows him to play.
Balogun's three goals included one to give the U.S. the lead against Bosnia. He
has matched Landon Donovan in 2010 for the second-most goals by an American in
a World Cup, behind only Bert Patenaude's four in the initial tournament in
1930.
In a post on social media, President Donald Trump praised the decision from
FIFA.
"Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!"
President DONALD J. TRUMP," he wrote.
The host U.S. is seeking to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since
2002. The Americans lost in the round of 16 to Ghana in 2010, Belgium in 2014
and the Netherlands in 2022. They failed to advance from the group stage in
2006 and didn't qualify for the 2018 tournament.
The U.S. Soccer Federation said it will not make Balogun available for comment
Sunday, but Balogun posted on social media a picture of himself in front of
U.S. fans and overlaid with music of Michael Jackson's pop single "Bad."
On Friday, Balogun said he thought a yellow card instead of red, "would have
been fair. It's something that's happened, so we have to move forward and I
have to accept it."
FIFA's announcement to reinstate Balogun said the decision relied on Article 27
the rules of the disciplinary committee:
"The judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation
of a disciplinary measure. By suspending the implementation of the sanction,
the judicial body subjects the person sanctioned to a probationary period of
one to four years," the rule states.
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