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 Tuesday.
The White House made a call to FIFA to ask Gianni Infantino to review
Folarin Balogun’s red card, according to a person familiar with the
call who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not
authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
The person did not have details to share about who specifically made the call and when.
Balogun, who leads the Americans with three goals, received a red card for stepping on the foot of Tarik Muharemović 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.”
Trump celebrated the red card reversal shortly after it was announced, posting on his social media network “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”
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.
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