(Jul 6, 2026 02:22 PM)stryder Wrote: I am by no means a footy fan, in fact I can be blissfully unaware of the entire world other than from those that are fans of the sport.
A news article popped up on the subject of Trump getting Fifa to overturn a Red card dished out to an American player. This isn't something that should really be allowed. It's not just that it undermines the very competitive nature of the sport where people are penalised for doing things wrong, but it also undermines what chaos such actions bring to the game. (specifically if those placing bets are looking at odds)
Currently putting a player back on the pitch is trying to assert a controlled outcome over the game. (If Trumps happy rigging a game why is it so unbelievable that he rigged an election?)
So they were pointing to
Cristiano Ronaldo's precedent being responsible for Balogun's suspension being overturned until Shark News Global got the Trump revelation to feed-frenzy on. Now Trump has been elevated to being the sole source of and causal factor for the reversal.
"It was not the first time FIFA used the clause. It previously stirred accusations of favoritism toward a box-office player when it allowed Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo to play in the preliminary rounds of these finals despite facing suspensions for a red card in a qualifying game."
"[...Balogun's...] suspension was later overturned after a committee of lawyers claimed the use of instant slow motion VAR violated FIFA rules and the red card was excessive compared to similar incidents in the World Cup, which the card was rescinded under the Article 27 authority of the FIFA Disciplinary Code by FIFA president Gianni Infantino."
An ironic item for Trump is that
Folarin Balogun is a US citizen by accidental birthright, having merely been born in NYC. His Nigerian parents lived in London and returned there when Folarin was a couple months old.
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The Cristiano Ronaldo World Cup precedent that changed USMNT star Folarin Balogun’s red card fortunes
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/cristi...02152.html
INTRO: Folarin Balogun wasn’t the only player who benefitted from a red-card suspension being reversed in favor of a probationary period. Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portugal star, avoided missing the first two games of the World Cup following a red card in November that led to a three-match ban — instead only missing his country’s final qualifying match and returning for their opener.
That context seemingly paved the way for Sunday, when FIFA cited Article 27 as the reason for why Balogun — shown a red card during the U.S. men’s national team’s Round of 32 match — could have his suspension suspended and instead land a one-year probationary period.
Article 27 states that “the judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure,” and if Balogun were to encounter a similar incident while in the probationary period, “and if he commits something similar during that stretch, “the suspension shall be revoked by the judicial body and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”
Ronaldo’s lenient ruling in November following an incident during Portugal’s match against the Republic of Ireland, when his elbow connected with defender Dara O’Shea. He received his first red card at the international level, and similar to Balogun, if he committed another infraction while on probation, he would’ve been suspended for the additional two games...
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World cup controversy (wikipedia): On May 26, 2026, Balogun was selected in the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On June 12 in his World Cup debut and the team's opening group stage match against Paraguay, Balogun scored twice in the 4-1 opener, being named Player of the Match. The game marked the first time an American had a multi-goal World Cup match in 96 years, since the 1930 FIFA World Cup in Uruguay, when Bert Patenaude scored the first hat-trick in World Cup history, coincidentally also against Paraguay. The following game against Australia, he won a second back-to-back Player of the Match award as the United States secured top spot in Group D.
Balogun scored the opening goal in the 2-0 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32, matching Landon Donovan for the second-most goals scored by an American in a single FIFA World Cup, with three, trailing only Patenaude's four goals in 1930. However, later in the game he received a controversial red card by referee Raphael Claus for a contact foul on the ankle of Tarik Muharemović in the 64th minute when the two players were challenging for the ball.
This made Balogun only the fourth World Cup player to score a goal and receive a red card in the same match, most recently by Zinedine Zidane in 2006. This initially forced him out of the United States' round of 16 match against Belgium, which led to outrage by American fans and a media campaign of "Free Flo".
However, the suspension was later overturned after a committee of lawyers claimed the use of instant slow motion VAR violated FIFA rules and the red card was excessive compared to similar incidents in the World Cup, which the card was rescinded under the Article 27 authority of the FIFA Disciplinary Code by FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
It was confirmed by AP News that U.S. president Donald Trump called Infantino to review the controversial red card decision. In reaction, this led to anger and controversy from Belgium, who felt it was a violation of Article 66.4 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which states that "a sending-off automatically incurs suspension from the subsequent match". In the morning of July 6, the day of the match between the United States and Belguim, Belgium was granted the right to appeal the decision to let Balogun play in that day's game.
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Trump’s red card call stirs political storm around World Cup
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/06/polit...o-analysis
EXCERPT: In isolation, there are good reasons to think Balogun got a raw deal when he was sent off during the national team’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina last week. But Trump’s decision to get involved introduces the possibility that Balogun’s reprieve may not be on the grounds of fairness alone.
The referee didn’t immediately order Balogun’s dismissal, but after watching a video review of the incident, ruled that he’d committed a serious foul. At full speed, the clash with Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemović looked innocuous. But when the challenge was slowed down, Balogun’s foot was seen to rake down the back of his opponent’s leg and twist his ankle into a hideous position.
Many fans argued that Balogun was the latest player to be disadvantaged by soccer’s video assistant referee system and that he had no intent to injure Muharemović.
Often, clashes between players look far worse in slow motion. In the generations before technological innovation, challenges like Balogun’s escaped censure.
It’s possible to conclude Balogun was unlucky — but also to see the challenge as meriting a red card under FIFA’s standards. You see similar challenges every week in top European pro leagues that also result in sendings-off. On the other hand, it’s hard to understand why Balogun got his marching orders but Lionel Messi got away with a similar challenge in Argentina’s first match.
But FIFA’s response to the incident and Trump’s choice to get involved are raising alarms. After the game, FIFA made clear the US team had no route to appeal the suspension and that Balogun would be unavailable to play in Seattle on Monday. This was a huge blow for the Americans, since the Monaco forward is the team’s top scorer.
FIFA’s announcement of the suspension’s reversal Sunday offered very little explanation, fueling criticism that an exception was made for the US star after Trump complained.
The FIFA disciplinary committee invoked Article 27 of its code, which allows the full or partial suspension of a disciplinary measure under a probationary period. The red card remains in place, and if Balogun commits another offense, the suspension will be restored, along with potential new penalties.
It was not the first time FIFA used the clause. It previously stirred accusations of favoritism toward a box-office player when it allowed Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo to play in the preliminary rounds of these finals despite facing suspensions for a red card in a qualifying game.
Jul 6, 2026 02:22 PM
